Between Worlds
by jthsm
Summary: Edward Elric is not quite what anyone expected. The secrets of his past keep unraveling, changing everything.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

It was all a waterfall, a life in the river and again after the fall. Swimming endlessly in a void they heard words and thought they had found it all. These creatures were the ones who always played but never wanted to stay. They chose, thinking they would never lose. When they lost their mind they realized…

Welcome to a world that will bring you to your knees.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Somewhere between sacred silence and sleep, he discovered disorder.

Roy Mustang navigated the hallways as best as he could, following the agonized screams that echoed off the stone walls. It was as if that voice alone was seeking escape. No physical incarnation followed. The screams relentlessly beat at its surrounding, but it wasn't a call for liberation. Wave after wave, proof to a desolate world. No stars could glisten here.

Not bothering to question the maze of hallways and rooms that existed in the lower levels of the church, Roy ran faster. He must be close. Along with the screams came another ill stricken sound. The only image that came to mind was that of a blade methodically beating on flesh and bone. The man stopped at a four way intersection. There seem to be no end to three of the halls. The only one that held any promise was covered by a set of bras double doors, its metal frame rusting. Behind the doors Roy heard- no, he could _feel_ \- the vibration of dozens of object and the doors themselves.

Suddenly a figure burst through the doors. The figure ran at full speed, trepidation digging into every fiber of skin. A woman in a white dress. Roy at least thought the dress was once white. Now it clung to the woman's body drenched in red, in blood.

A being that was no angel. Not knowing at the moment that she would be the invitation to come in, to be afraid, of the impressive mess that man could make.

The woman hesitated a second when she spotted Roy but seemed to have made a decision. His instinct much too slow to process what he had just seen and a bloodied bony hand grabbed his face. Startled, Roy grabbed hold of the woman's arm and pulled her towards him. Before her body could fall against his chest, Roy used his other arm to roughly knock over the woman from the neck. The woman's head made contact with the cold floor, an audible thump as the rest of her body hit the floor as well. All the while the screams that were once harrowing became deranged.

Roy continued forward, feeling only a tad bit guilty at a body that now laid unconscious behind. Abruptly, all trail of thought disappeared at the sight that lay beyond. Roy stood frozen at the entrance of the room. Strapped down by one leg, a young boy half laid on a bed, a long knife in his left hand. Roy watched with widening eyes as the small hand brought the blade to the side of a man's head. The man's body was slowly becoming wane, leaning all its weight on a table that stood beside the bed. Scarlet sprung onto the boy's body, straining to reach the head it repeatedly stabbed. Pools of red were everywhere as far as the eye could see under the candlelight of a single chandelier that hung above. Roy realized with shock that the blood that flowed to the ground was not only of the dead man's head but it flowed like a river of roses from the little boy. There was nothing where a left leg should have sat on the bed. Neither was there a right arm. Both limbs were among the carnage that trickled beneath.

If anyone had ever thought church doors to have been gold, now they were filthy and dark.

The man's body finally joined the fluid wasteland as the boy gave one final hit and dropped his weapon. As senses returned, Roy hurried his way toward the boy, his military uniform and boots quickly becoming damp. He recognized the golden eyes and hair that the young boy held. Yes, this was the same boy from the dozens of reports he had received at his office in Central. Roy had anticipated to find the boy in the middle of one of his rumored alchemic transmutations, proof that the reports had not lied of the golden boy's skills. Unable to grasp the reality of their first meeting, Roy began to work furiously as the boy's wounds. He tore cloth and wrapped up the ends of the right shoulder and left knee.

The boy had initially been washed with panic at the sight of Roy, not knowing if he had intended harm. Roy tried his best to show his good intentions by whispering words of assurance. There was no clear response but the boy's body relaxed as much as a dismembered body could.

The last memories that either of the two had was of the larger man cradling a broken body to his chest, dashing with desperation through the same halls he had entered and to a lifeless gray sky.


	2. Chapter 2

To sickly white light Edward awoke, his eyes blinking away sleep. This wasn't like any other night, with tears soaking his pillow but he knew there had been blood on a knife. He also knew well by now that the white was the greeting of a hospital. Expecting to find himself strapped and tucked in under the clean sheets, it roused Edward's interest when his left hand came to shield his face without restraints interrupting the movement. Like a whip, his mind was struck with the events that had occurred the last time he was conscious. His head snapped to face his right side; indeed there was no arm. With pain still burning in both wounds, Edward threw off the sheets to reveal a missing leg.

In his shell, he knew he had waited far too long only to bleed.

 _This is not the way I pictured me. How did I get here?_

Now how could he hope to wipe away the leaves...

Jumping in surprise as a door knob was turned and a door creaked open, Edward abandoned any hint of the vehement creature he was to match plain walls and bulbs that were anything but natural. With pathetic confidence came in a doctor. Few steps later he was followed by a tall man in a blue uniform. Both men halted when they saw Edward. The boy was glad that his parents were not the ones to have been his first sight. He indulged in the ghostly feeling of a knife striking flesh. He faintly remembered looking at a body in a stone hall, blood drenched dress plastered against skin. Whether she was dead or not, Edward was glad to have not been visited by her at the moment. Emotions sneaking up once more, he remained wary.

Hearing the men come closer, Edward was thrown back to the present. The doctor seemed no different from any other that Edward had encountered in his past. As ragged they came was as ragged they went. The uniformed man was a completely enigma by appearance. He was difficult to dismiss, with onyx black hair and eyes. Through a mask that the man played over his face, Edward knew many hidden truths were kept beyond tangibility.

"Hello, I'm doctor Marcho. I need you to lay down and simply relax, alright? Here with me is Colonel Mustang. If you have any worries you can ask either of us. Now..."

Edward simply ignored the doctor, knowing he'd pester him with questions about his health. As the doctor checked his heart and breathing, Edward studied the blue uniform. It was hard to believe that this man had saved his life. He had not hesitated to help the disfigured boy in the room deep below the church. How had he even found him down there? On alert, Edward wanted to know just how hard Colonel Mustang had search for him and for what reasons.

Inadvertently Edward's mind began to drift to a different place as he scrutinized those dark eyes, the void within his mind that was everywhere and nowhere, that was everything and nothing. He allowed for a humming to begin inside himself, soft whispers dancing off his lips. He was well aware at the skeptical looks he was given, but he continued without a care.

Doctor Marcoh placed a hand on Edward's good shoulder as gently as possible. Immediately, the whispers stopped. Edward could only will himself to not push the man away. He continued to allow the humming to spread through him, a link between his only hand and mind. In a slight daze, golden eyes no doubt in a delirious state with soft bangs hanging over them, Edward registered the doctor's retreat. Words were exchanged between the doctor and soldier before the man left the room.

Honestly having no idea why a boy like him would be left alone with someone else but a doctor was beyond Edward.

An electrifying sensation shot through Edward. The Colonel was close. With a jolt of energy, Edward half lunged towards the man, hand making contact with the smooth fabric of a uniformed arm. Still keeping a seated position to not cause a sense of danger, Edward gasped. He read the man's memory clearly. Edward saw himself being rushed out the church in the Colonel's arms. Outside had been a military vehicle waiting with a sturdy blond. They had driven to the nearest hospital where Edward was stabilized. Restarting the fast paced whispers from before, Edward pushed the connection further. These details were too simple to satisfy. He was intrigued by the images that formed in his head. How could this man dare himself to touch the young boy?

 _Oh, won't you hold me…_

Colonel Mustang's face reappeared several times. It strained to remain cool and in control. Edward attempted to travel a further back into the man's memory. He was able to see the way his mother had been taken down. His gut clenched with the amount of force Edward put to contain his laughter. He felt himself shaking from near hysteria. Briefly looking at his disfigured leg wrapped in tainted bandages, he felt his very soul stain the sheets but they were pulled up to the side. Who's blood could this really be?!

Hohenheim…

 _You took up a knife and twist it. Should've aimed towards my heart because you missed it._

He didn't want to die yet he had insisted. Breathing was a luxury he thought Edward shouldn't have, the beating of his heart was more than he could stand.

 _You knew I had to die so you can finally sleep._

Only a matter of time before they burned in hell.

All humor came to a halt when Edward could no longer push his way into the man's memory. It wasn't the sensation of a protective wall being put in place. No, it was Edward's own energy retreating.

For the first time the boy noticed the window and the persistent tapping of rain against glass. A storm had begun to descend.


	3. Chapter 3

After being told that the boy was in stable condition, Roy headed towards the closest military head quarter's. He itched to rid of the stained clothes that rested like a heavy burden on his body. All the while the Colonel cleaned himself up he thought of the boy. Edward Elric. For months he had collected reports circling the topic of the boy. The higher ups had come to Roy's office briefly explaining their curiosity.

In a small town to the east called Resembool it had been heavily rumored that a blond haired boy was able to conduct magic. By the pictures that came along with the reports Roy narrowed the possibilities of this "magic" to alchemy. Although there were no signs of a drawn transmutation circle the images had shown human sized statues that morphed out of trees, dirt, and stone. The statutes did not depict any recognizable human face. They were all of disfigured beings that wretched as if the air was pure toxin. Allegedly, the sites of which the statues inhabited were cursed.

The town must have not been very well educated in alchemy or any science for that matter, Roy thought, or why else had they clung to this ridiculous superstition. This stupid superstitious parade of ignorance that crushes the innocent.

The same that would make Edward Elric crumble.

A few reports into the search for the boy, actual pictures of a physical appearance surfaced. Roy had clung to the face of a tired boy of about ten years old. Beautiful golden hair and eyes became elusive when exhaustion was caught radiating from the boy's body. That particular picture had captured the short figure half turned and what looked like a run.

It didn't take very long before reports became some sort of game. People had apparently been pressuring the nearest military personnel to figure out the mysteries behind the transmutations. Even though they had inexplicably stopped occurring, the town was now being plagued by a sickness that afflicted children and adults alike. Doctor's described symptoms as horrific and paranormal. Victims were found screaming, their body contouring with a deadly chill to their skin. Again and again Roy was astounded by the things he read. He could only guess that Resembool was a heavily religious town.

Resembool was not popular in the eye of the public but it started to interest Roy. How come he had never heard of this before? Some reports dated back years, to when Edward Elric would have only been born. Before his birth, the town gave of a disciplined impression probably due to its strict religious codes. It was hard to decipher its activities or intentions. After the boy had arrived there seemed to be a stir. Strange occurrences were reported through the church. Roy had dismissed them all as fear due to growing superstitions.

Barely a month ago had Roy managed to match a pair of parents to the Elric boy. Unfortunately it had not been through a face. Two names had been handed to him by his subordinate Lieutenant Hawkeye. Her features remained cool as usual, her blond hair neatly tied back. Her uniform was pitch perfect. Her presence was a juxtapose to a child's reality.

Van Hohenheim and Trisha Elric. Finally, a breakthrough in the case. It still puzzled Roy that Edward was not named after his father. Why take his mother's maiden name? According to Hawkeye's newly found info, and even more strange, the couple was known for having played a tremendous role in the religious community of Resembool. They had attended church frequently and become widely known to their neighbors. Nothing explained why such a couple wouldn't get married.

"The address listed no longer belongs to anyone sir. I had Havoc make some calls but everyone either refused to answer questions or simply said the house had been abandoned years ago."

Roy gave his best guess.

"Van Hohenheim and Trisha Elric must have been exiled from the town at some point. It seems that that they abandoned their home when Edward was still very young. But this report says that people have still seen them in town."

"Right sir. It looks as if they hid themselves, yet couldn't help but attempting numerous times to return. If people are so reluctant to talk about them then that could mean that the family was forced out by the entire community."

"There's no doubt this might be due to the 'magic' the folks fear. The boy has already been associated to the strange statues and spread of illness throughout the town. What I can't still explain is what happened to Edward Elric after his parents went into hiding and what exactly happened in Resembool during that time."

Roy sat in his desk, chin resting on intertwined hands, as the lieutenant nodded in agreement. There was still too much they didn't know. There was a huge gap in the timeline. They had little info on the boy. All that info had arrived quite recently too. Hell, they weren't even sure of his age or date of birth.

Now Roy stood beside Edward Elric, the boy's only hand gripping his arm, at a complete loss for words. The man that Edward had stabbed to death was identified as Van Hohenheim. The woman that had ran towards Roy was Trisha Elric.

 _Unholy followers brain washed by death, birthing an unholy mess._

Roy had become slightly lightheaded, almost hypnotized by the whispers that came out of the boy's mouth. The hand that made contact with his arm felt famished, yearning for something more than this hospital bed. Roy noticed the sudden shakes that ravaged the boy's body. He was about to call out for a doctor when he felt the boy's grip loosening. Turning back his attention back to the boy, he was faced with wide watering eyes. Edward Elric simply sat there, lifting his head to see the rain that fell outside as if suddenly realizing the circumstances he was in, yet his expression somehow blank. He was sealed in tight, claustrophobic and catastrophic within himself.

Slowly Roy pulled his arm free.

" Edward Elric?"


	4. Chapter 4

Edward looked up at Colonel Mustang, changing from an emotionless expression to one of anger.

"Why have you been looking for me? I don't have business with any of you military dogs."

The uniformed man flinched slightly at the remark. Yes, Edward knew of the stories that were told about the military. They fought against the people of Ishval and had almost managed to obliterate the entire race. Edward inwardly smirked.

 _All they ever did was watch children before igniting their parade of pain. The enemy waves a flag of hatred but who were the ones who made it? They marched at the rhythm of drums to the pit of dogs. They watched their victims burn under the sun._

Just like Edward, the dead had knelt at the altar until it teared them apart.

The military was known to be a strong force but was not beyond the bitterness of some. Edward himself had his own reasons. It were the very low of the filthiest military dogs that had come to his house, barely capable of paying the price for a night with the boy. The basement that had been scrubbed clean by the boy had been made vile by those dogs that came. He always knew when they were coming. Hohenheim would come before the arrival of the next "client" to put his own son into shackles.

Edward clenched his teeth at the memories, mentally cursing the man beside him. There was nothing that he could do to make this man go away, to make the entire world vanish.

 _Anything exceptional is ruined by common people with jealousy, ignorance, and all their common evils_.

Regaining his composure, the Colonel laid down his deal.

"I was given the task to find you and offer the opportunity to join the military. I know of your alchemic skills that would even put some of our current state alchemist to shame. I admit this isn't how I imagined myself first speaking with you..."

Silence settled in. Edward's mental gears were shifting rapidly. An offer from the military? He didn't imagine himself ever becoming one of them. How could he? Sure he had the potential but what life could the military offer. One of orders and push arounds that's for sure.

Edward allowed for the silence to become unnerving. He set on a softer face, losing contact with the present. The Colonel must've mistaken it for a face of defeat.

"You can sit here all you want and wallow in your self pity. With the military you would be given a significant amount of funding for any trips or research. You would also have unlimited access to our libraries. You're obviously educated in alchemy. A state alchemist title is sufficient enough to steer you to greater heights. You could find a way to regain your body or you can live your life as a crippled."

Edward gaped at onyx eyes that showed nothing but pure honesty. This... couldn't be happening. Ironically he thought, the heavens themselves must be falling apart.

Colonel Mustang headed towards the door, swinging it wide open only to pause for a moment.

"Your father's dead and your mother has been put in the military's custody. We both know that they had the desire to rip you limb by limb that day. I've given you an offer."

Just like that, he was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

For the entire week, rain had poured as if oceans had been absorbed into the sky. Over and over, it brought Roy back to the day he found Edward Elric.

The same rhythmic beat of fat droplets on a car windshield. Only an hour before had Colonel Mustang and Lt. Hawkeye arrived in Resembool. Roy mindlessly complained about the weather, making him feel useless like it always did. No point in carrying his gloves with him today.

After a conference with his team, Roy decided that it was a long time due for him to set foot in the small town. He needed to become rigorous with the search. Not much progress was made by reading reports in Central. What he hadn't expected was to overhear personnel in Resembool's local police department talking about Edward Elric.

The story went that a young woman had nervously walked into the police station. When an officer had asked if she needed assistance the woman had simply handed over a sheet of paper and hurried out. The paper read that only about half hour ago the woman had witnessed two people carrying a red wooden box. They were carrying the box up the steps of Resembool's church when the it had momentarily been slammed opened. A little boy had reached one arm outwards before the two hooded figures had aggressively closed the box, the click of latches resonating down the street. Whether it was a hoax or not, it made Roy's inside want to hurl.

Especially when it was said that the boy had bright golden hair.

Hearing Hawkeye following right behind, Roy sprinted towards the nearest police vehicle and rudely snatched away the keys from a protesting owner. In one swift movement, Roy flashed his state alchemist watch. The officer firmly shut his trap.

One would think it would be insane to drive full speed in the streets of this small town, except Hawkeye was dominating the wheel. Roy didn't doubt the strengths of her godly vision because, fortunately, she had avoided running over pedestrians. If the lieutenant had felt the wheels of the vehicle hydroplaning, she hadn't made an issue of it.

The church took up a lot more space compared to the houses and stores in Resembool. It stood in all its Christian glory atop a wide set of marvel steps. The click of boots against the floor were faint against the impact of rain on the earth. Roy was not a religious man himself but he admired the beauty of the church, its structure intricately made and decorated by wood, stone, and colored glass.

 _Such deceiving looks._

He'd begun the wild search for the young boy, passing room after room, until he found a stairway that descended deep underground. The walls and floor changed from marvel and wood to bland stone. Roy noted light scratches on the steps, a sign that something had been dragged down here recently. Eventually he had reached those brass doors. He hadn't come back to observe the clean up crew take away Van Hohenheim's corpse. Trisha Elric had apparently caused quite the commotion, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Roy was getting tired of living in the past.

A thousand fires burned, a land of darkness he wish to never return. Edward Elric, a broken soul.

 _I'm haunted by your world._


	6. Chapter 6

He'd never been in Central city before. It was incredibly alive, a wild buzzing bee hive. Everyone went in every direction to somewhere or to someone. Edward felt a sliver of frustration expanding, feeling childlike in the manner in which he stomped. All these tall people! Unnecessarily tall! They frequently bumped straight into Edward, claiming they had not seen him. Fuming, Edward tried convincing himself that it was _not_ because of his height.

Reluctantly Edward asked for directions to the military's headquarters in Central. He hoped that Colonel Mustang has received his letter of request. Today was the day he had asked for a state alchemist exam to be reserved for him. Edward had not included a return address, not wanting for the man to know where he had been. The military didn't need to know about his... other connections. Those bastards burned both witches and saints alike.

The exam should be set for three o'clock. Edward couldn't imagine who exactly would be supervising or watching on the side lines.

Things had gone smoothly. At least in his perspective.

The security at the entrance to headquarters had treated Edward like a lost child at first but when he had mentioned the state alchemist exam a look of realization slapped the man in the face. Edward was happy to see that the Colonel had arranged things. If not for him then the golden haired boy would have never made it inside.

The written portion was suppose to take at least two full hours. Edward has completed it in twenty minutes. The officer that had been hovering over the boy's shoulder had been breathing heavily for some time, witnessing the impossibly fast movements of Edward's hands as they scribbled like a madman across the exam sheets. Edward had paused for a second to smile at the officer before returning to his work. If the military wasn't taking him serious yet, then they might be now.

 _You sign and sign, writing the Devil's book._

For a moment, the boy frowned at himself. He was signing himself to dogs.

 _Book of thoughts and narration, it puts together what you see._

The soldiers that led him towards the next exam room blinked with confusion, shrugging at each other. The room had a high ceiling, balconies lining the four walls. The main balcony was packed with major, generals- correct Edward if he was wrong- and the Fuhrer. Edward slightly frowned at the amount of officers that had shown up for his exam. He tilted his head. Maybe this was a rare occasion that they wanted to be part of. Better give them a fucking show.

His mind nagged at him persistently, urging him to look more closely. Eyes scanned the rows of officials one more time. There... Edward couldn't stop himself from staring at Colonel Mustang. He had a knowing smile annoyingly across his face, arms patiently folded across his chest.

And then the exam began.

* * *

The officials leaned forward in their seats, a scrutinizing gaze examining the golden haired boy. So, this was the talented little alchemist that Mustang had found a year ago. Over that period of time some of the officials had the audacity to tease the Colonel. Since he had returned empty handed from Resembool, the military had concluded that Edward Elric had not been up to the challenge.

They couldn't be any more wrong. Roy remembered the fire that had burned in golden eyes as he exited the hospital room. He had walked away from there satisfied. That sight alone guaranteed Edward Elric's comeback. He gave an amused smiled at the officials that turned their heads towards him and back to the boy. The Colonel did wonder how Edward was able to present himself with no signs of past physical injuries. His arm and leg... He wore a black light coat, black leather pants, black and red combat boots, and white gloves. His hair was much too long for the likes of most men, but admittedly done beautifully in a long braid. The conductor raised his hand.

Things were about to get interesting.

The first stages of the exam consisted of transmutations. That would be followed by hand-on-hand combat, and then full fledged battles. Some soldiers lined up across the arena, awaiting their turn to engage with the potential state alchemist. Others retreated through a door near the end of the vast room no doubt gathering surprises.

"I need you to transmute a weapon... . Do you need something to write with?"

"Nope."

Roy was taken aback by the response. How...?

In a second, the boy clapped his hands together and placed them on the ground. Immediately spirals of electricity sprung from the ground. The air changed as it did with any transmutation. Soon, Edward Elric held a deadly spear in his hand.

More than raised eyebrows was what the little alchemist received. No one, and Roy meant no one, had ever completed a transmutation without drawing out the arrays first. Shit, this kid looked like a wizard straight out of children's books.

The conductor remained quiet seconds more than he should have. All the transmutations that were asked from the boy were beautifully done. Roy wondered why the boy had transmuted those fearsome statues around his hometown when he could have done a dozen of other things. More crtitcally, why hadn't he used his alchemy to save himself on that faithful day...

Edward looked more than happy to have surprised every adult in the room. Roy reminded himself that this alchemist was only eleven years old. Despite his age, the boy didn't seem to be looking for approval. No, this boy wanted to force feed the unexpected straight down the throats of anyone who got in his way.

The soldiers that were watching from the sidelines stepped forward. The first in line walked towards Edward, at a distance of eight feet. Instructions were given, and then a whistle was blown. The soldier lunged at impressive speed, hand preparing to grasp the opponent's throat. With a sly smile, the little boy ducked, not having to bend down much to connect an elbow to the side of the soldiers knee. The larger body crumbled to the ground.

It was unbelievable. He made it look so simple and easy.

Every soldier after that met a similar fate.

This boy was a war machine.

Even after the boy was faced with armed opponents, he remained standing. The chimeras that were unleashed from the back room didn't faze him either. He had swiftly dodged their attacks and had easily immobilized them with his alchemy as instructed. The men and woman in the balcony were no longer sitting. They struggled to get a better view. Even Roy had a hard time staying glued to his seat.

After the exam officials were whipping their venomous tongues, arguing over who will receive the young Elric. Roy was certain that Edward would stay in Central command. It was true that the boy would fit in any of the government protection groups. The military was where state alchemist were usually assigned to. On the other hand, those skills were also useful to the Iscariot, who were in charge of "inhumane conduct" . Roy secretly hoped that Edward would be put under his command. As long as another war didn't break out the boy would never have to be declared a human weapon. Anyhow, many officers feared the Colonel's power. He was a considerably young lad to have the rank of a colonel. Being able to gain such a position at his age had caused for many enemies to rise.

A conference was hastily arranged between the military and Iscariot.

What the fuck...

Roy was extremely skeptical as to why Iscariot had showed up. They only received people who had been raised and trained by titled members of the church. It was true that Edward's parents had been obsessively involved with the church in their home town. Still. No one knew just how religious the boy was. Anyways, it was obvious that Iscariot frowned upon alchemy. They made no saint from the work, a science that had evolved from religious and philosophical beliefs.

They definitely weren't going to make a saint out of Edward Elric.

* * *

"Congratulations, you're now a dog of the military."

"Couldn't you put some more zest in it?"

"Afraid not", Roy responded with a cold voice. After a few seconds he spoke with a cheerful undertone, "Maybe once I'm promoted I'll throw you a party, Fullmetal."

"Eh... with honor I bestow upon you the name Fullmetal..." Edward read from the thick fancy parchment.

"All state alchemist are not only given the pocket watch as proof of their potistion. They are given a second name. I admit that's a heavy alias. Fullmetal Alchemist."

"You don't say. I like a heavy name. I'll take it" A mischevious grin already settled in.

* * *

 _He didn't know whether he was a fool or the growing future. Roy had almost been convinced that he was not entitled to learn his Master's flame alchemy, something he dedicated his entire life to. Contented he was with his accomplishment yet he claimed that he had died long ago._

 _"So in the end you became a soldier. Someone like you is unworthy of learning even the basics of alchemy."_

 _"Shouldn't alchemy be used for the benefit of the masses? Master Hawkeye, we're currently under threat of neighboring countries. We're in urgent need to strengthen our forces. Alchemy is essential for protecting the people."_

 _"I'm sick of hearing that same excuse!" The gruffness of choking coughs confirmed that his Master's end could come any day now._

 _"I can't just sit and watch this. I hate to see someone so talented be crushed by squalor and illness. Please, if only you became a state alchemist you could complete your experiments-"_

 _"I completed my work long ago. I created the most powerful, possibly the most deadly alchemy... I perfected it and have become satisfied. Alchemist are creatures who continually strive towards the truth as long as they're alive. They die as soon as they stop the process of thinking. I died a long time ago." The remaining life drained away from those tired eyes. With the need of his last wish he spoke, "Take care of my daughter. Every detail of my experiment is with her..."_

 _In the sands of Ishval he had made use of the alchemy that was entrusted into his hands by his former master and daughter. She too could be a fool for following him out to this hell. Riza had chosen this path herself. There was no one else left in this world she desired to protect but Roy. Together they carried the same childish dream. That woman had believed it was an admirable dream. What had become of it now.._

 _The burning of the masses he thought were supposed to be protected proved that he lived for something so very wrong._

 _"Did you put on that uniform without being ready to kill. You should look forward to death. When you kill, look them straight in the eye. Do not forget them because your enemies will never forget you."_

 _"I fight simply to stay alive. Not all reasons have to be complex."_

 _What was the reason behind this war? What was the reason behind any bloodshed?_

 _"We soldiers are nothing but trash."_

 _"Even so it should be possible to protect the very few that we love, right? Puny humans like us should be able to do that at least. That's why I'm going to do everything to protect the ones who are important to me..."_

 _"We must carry the corpses and trudge though a river of blood in exchange for a new generation of happiness, isn't that so? That's what this equivalent exchange means in the alchemy that ravages this world."_

Roy wondered what the future held for that boy.


	7. Chapter 7

God's men had searched for blood. As his life unraveled all eyes descended on one. Although he was an honest child in chains, it was futile because it didn't matter anyway. If that biased bastard had already chosen his judgement day then fine, let him savor his time in the sky.

This golden child knew his flesh would feed their demons. His life had already been condemned by their lies. Without reason, he'd been chosen to pay with his life.

These rising masses of heartless monsters he had surrounded himself with. They were a maniacal unit of sub human parasites, warped into a feeding frenzy at the smell of his blood. A little boy opened his eyes and saw these creatures for what they really were, a swirling mass of hatred and envy. Edward was not naive to think he was unaffected.

The conversion had already begun.

"Please don't leave me... Don't leave me like this."

 _"Colonel..."_

 _"Please, call me Roy."_

 _Hands entangled themselves in his loosened braid until the band gave way and gold cascaded freely down small shoulders. Their touch was gentle, moving slowly underneath his red coat and wrapping around a tiny waist. Again they moved with exaggerated cautiousness , regardless they continued to embrace the boy._

 _Edward wanted to to shy away from the warmth of the older man. Instead his body leaned into it, his head pressing harder against a hand that cradled his face. He forced himself to look up at the owner. Hovering over him he watched with consuming interest onyx eyes that flared with an unknown passion. This couldn't possibly be for him..._

 _This man was his agent of will, bearer of needs. The boy took a moment to see that nothing else could tell him what he wanted to be._

It was excruciating to open swollen eyes to this world. His body continued to break with every ragged breath. No one took pity in watching him suffer. No one knew the feeling of being damned alone.

Chains rustled against one another, waking him from a short lived memory. He saw nothing in the cold stone blackness he laid in. He felt the effort of his flesh to stay together when he moved. Wounds remained exposed.

This couldn't be his forever. It wouldn't be.

It was only a matter of time before he fooled them all.

 _The pain that this world was capable of was all he had known until that man came into his life. There were small things that brought the boy contentment but none compared to what Roy caused. Everone in this world either desired to be human or god, but Roy asked him to be neither. All he asked for was for Edward to love him._

* * *

Maes Hughes practically floated into Roy's office, making kissy faces at a picture he held in his hand.

"Isn't my little girl just the cutest thing you've ever seen?! And just look at my darling wife..."

Roy exasperatedly sighed, allowing his body to droop in annoyance. How many times had he showed Roy that picture the past week? Meh, it didn't matter. No one could resist looking at his dear family.

"You better not have been misusing the phones downstairs again", Roy said nonchalantly.

"Misusing? What do you mean?! Family is serious business. Oh, just look at them." Hughes waved the picture around, which he insisted everyone had to see. About a million times.

"I know..." Roy let a smile spread across his face. "But I didn't call you in for that. I'm receiving the Fullmetal Alchemist today."

Hughes stopped bombarding Roy with his love and joy. Unfortunately.

"The tiny alchemist prodigy? The one that Iscariot took?"

Grudgingly Roy responded, "That exact one".

Hughes understood why Roy had a displeasured undertone. He'd done so much to find the needle in the haystack -a very _small_ needle he had to say. A lethal one too. The higher ups handed the boy over to Roy for ten months and then Iscariot had knocked on the door. Without even whipping their shoes on the doormat before entering or leaving, the Fullmetal Alchemist had been swept away by the choir.

Since Hughes had been on duty outside of Central during the arrival of the little alchemist, he had never actually met him. It only seemed as if he knew him well because of Roy. The Colonel had mentioned Edward Elric more than enough times than necessary to see that he had a liking for the boy. Although Hughes had heard from Roy's other subordinates that the two would surreptitiously scream at one another- with Roy insulting the boy's short stature and Edward calling his Colonel Bastard- they were a spectacular team. After overcoming the fever from their daily outburst, the two were a renewed motivation and company for each other. Roy's team had made significant progress on all their cases, with more than half being solved by the Fullmetal Alchemist. Hughes had been surprised to hear how intelligent the twelve year old was. He'd definitely be a good challenge for Roy.

But ten months flew by and Iscariot came.

The group had been given jurisdiction over the boy for seven months. Hughes admitted that the decision had been sudden. Roy had argued and question but to no avail. He watched somberly as the boy was escorted away, a look of longing in his face. The Fullmetal Alchemist must've turned fourteen by now.

The day went by but no one came. Hughes saw as Roy frowned when he realized how late it had become. He gave a heavy sigh.

"I guess this means it'll just be you and me tonight."

Hughes gave a friendly smile at his friend. They said their goodnights to Hawkeye and the others before driving to Roy's apartment. Once there, as Roy unlocked the door he froze.

"Why the tension?" asked Hughes quietly.

"Only the one lock was done" Roy hesitantly responded.

"Do you think..."

Roy barged into the house and aimed for the library. Laying on a much too large and squishy couch was a small body snuggled by a fluffy blanket, light from a burning fire gently lighting up its features. Immediately the two men softened their steps and headed towards the kitchen. Hughes could only expect the exhaust of a long trip.

"What do you think he's been up to these past months?" Hughes asked cautiously while Roy served them a cup of wine.

Hughes knew that the church wasn't for everyone. Sure, people said they have all faith in God and attended church regularly. Even members of the military were forced to attend at least one time a month despite busy schedules. But the man knew the extremes Iscariot went to enforce the religion. The war in Ishval had resulted from the relentless oppression on the Ishvalans by the country's Christian ruled government. The two forces had snapped when an Ishvalan child was killed by a soldier. Although Amestris had managed to industrialize and grow because of the strong leadership brought on by a government composed of military and religious powers, Hughes had his doubts.

"Reading bibles, kneeling, and praying." Roy almost snorted the joke out and Hughes chuckled. Conversation continued into the night, the mood tinted by red wine.

 _Mortars and martyrs is all those Iscariot nuns and priest are._

Another serving of intoxication, slow but eventually their heads would be in the clouds.

 _We both made the body count._

Hughes shook the thoughts away. This wasn't a time to bring up the past. Roy and him had had enough from the Ishval War. It was more than that war. The direction in which humanity was heading would destroy them all. Here he sat drinking with one man that was climbing to the top of this country's government to try and change that.

The whisper of footsteps tickled Hughes's ears. He felt his stiff neck turn to be met with with a somber sight. If Hughes hadn't drank so much, he would've seen a smiling child prodigy before his eyes.

Instead he saw an empty shell of flesh, spirit and soul vacant.

* * *

"Fullmetal?"

The boy's face lit up with a shy smile, pleased by the sight of the Colonel. Skeptical with his feeling of relief and safety brought on by the older man, Edward walked further into the kitchen. He was unsure as to how to greet the man but the Colonel decided for him when he embraced the short boy. Okay, not that short either, although the Colonel had to hunch over significantly to do so. Not that Edward would admit it out loud.

"How long have you been in Central? I thought you'd show up at the office..." Roy asked as he pulled away, eagerly wanting to know about the boy.

"Not that very long", responded Edward,"It's just been a long trip and I didn't want to bother anyone for a while."

"Well I'm glad you're finally back. I admit that the lower atmosphere of my office was empty without you down there."

Momentarily forgetting the Colonel's embrace, Edward gave the man a look of pure evil. Fuming as the remark of his height, Edward responded, "Well I couldn't find a bigger arrogant bastard than you while I was away all these months."

Roy snarlingly smiled at the boy. Once again, Edward noticed the other man who was staring at him in very strangely. Interrupting one of many comical moments between the two, Roy saw the eye contact and proceeded to introduce his company.

"Fullmetal, this is Maes Hughes, a long time friend that I met in my early years of the military."

Maes Hughes stood up and reached out a hand. Edward shook it, immediately feeling the man's energy collide with his own. The voices inside suggest a less than peaceful side... A family. He saw a family. This man with a wife and a child. Elicia hugging her mother. Hughes cheerfully joining them both. Was this the love of a family?

The boy turned a full circle, finding that he was confided within smothering brick walls. He knew he was no longer fourteen. Here he was a creature of rotting youth, tiny hands shielding off the holy scourge.

"Fullmetal!"

 _"Mommy don't do it again! I'll be a good boy, I promise. No mommy don't hit me! Why do you have to hit me like that mommy?!"_

 _Don't do it... you're hurting me._

"Hey! Are you alright?"

 _Why do you have to be such a bitch_

 _WHY DON'T YOU FUCK OFF AND DIE_

Broken bones found themselves in black, the eyes depriving him of what was right in front just seconds ago. They floated towards an invisible surface beneath. Barely feeling any impact darkness consumed him.

* * *

Shaky breaths exited the small vessel, the frailness of his body now visible. Unable to resist lust, he reached out to caress golden strands of hair. It has become now much too loose from its normal chain to be a braid. The hand traced down to touch soft skin and stopped to gently rest on a small shoulder.

 _He's sin just by the breath he takes away..._

Roy shook himself from his trance, pondering wether or not it pertained to an illicit context of sorts. Feeling a wall build up against this, he instead thought of what happened earlier that night.

The interaction had been strange. Roy hadn't noticed before how tense the meeting between Hughes and Edward had been, bow's string tight with the arrow to kill. Eyes melted to liquid. They were delirium. In an instant knees gave away and his body hit the ground. Roy had grabbed Edward in his arms and had carried him to his bedroom. On contact the man was bombarded with negative emotions that violently clashed with Roy's drunkenness. Not wanting to make the occurrence obvious he had continued walking upstairs. He knew how easily Edward's vibes were released from his body, a kinetic energy unknown to anyone. Hughes had followed behind. Seeing a look of bewilderment masked by cool concern on his friend's face, Roy offered for Hughes to stay overnight. They had one too many cups of red for any of them to be walking under the moonlight. His head wasn't in the right place.

While his friend dozed off in the fire light of the library, Roy sat next to the sleeping body of Edward Elric. He couldn't bring himself to detach his hand from the boy's shoulder. There was hunger in his touch.

Roy finally removed his hand to rub his eyes. What is he thinking? This was all parental, nothing else right? That's what it should be.

 _Wake up. I'm seeing things I've never seen before._

Those beautiful golden eyes. They shined every time the boy smiled up at him.

 _Passed out chasing a dream._

He hoped to grasp his heart.

 _Wake up and we'll decipher everything._

All that seemed too much to be real. During those ten months Roy had Fullmetal as his subordinate... He still couldn't believe he was fourteen years old now. He had been only twelve when he was first with Roy. The man struggled with visions of a not so distant past, nirvana's adversary enveloping every single one of them. There was a price to such perfectness as pain bursts through his veins at the efforts to remember. He couldn't remember.

 _"You need to confront these demons and thoughts you've never had before."_

"Roy?"

* * *

 _A top a hill he witnessed the burning of a loveless and lifeless home. There was a satisfaction from the destruction that Roy understood yet knew nothing about. The flames ate away at what little remained of the structure, continuing to beat it down in punishment. This was home that would not be missed, an unquenchable horror was its only legacy._

 _"The land is beautiful around here, isn't it? Sadly its tainted."_

 _On a flattened stone Edward shared the view. His expression was gloomy and aged by the light that danced through the entire land from the single dying star that burned at its center. He was right. The vast grassland, trees, and lake could've been a paradise if not for the history that had conjured on its surface._

 _"You want to see my side, don't you?"_

 _Roy couldn't answer. He didn't fully understand what they were or what this was._

 _"You're right", the boy responded as if hearing his thoughts,"I'm sorry but we both have to forget. At least for now...It's true. Neither of us understands what this is. You'd need to drown to know."_

 _Words became distant from his core, the fire dimming to a tiny spark that could not taste oxygen and ignite. Although this was a vision he heard words with a searing sadness that blacked out the entire world. He felt himself floating in the void that grew with reluctance to deliver him to darkness. A plum of smoke would rise, obscuring his sight of what he knew was inevitable. It circled around him slower and slower until it clung to him as inky fog, losing him forever._

 _Edward rose from his stone to make his way towards Roy. The child before him vibrated with familiar energy as he spoke soft words of condemnation. A touch from his flesh sentenced Roy's memory to the hazy fog._


	8. Chapter 8

"I'll go get it!"

"Remember to be generous to our guest, Elicia."

"OK daddy."

Hughes peeked his head out towards the door as his absolutely irresistible adorable perfect daughter welcomed Roy and Edward. It had only been a month since Hughes met the boy but he figured a night over for dinner was good compensation for their first meeting. Uh, a meeting Hughes didn't remember so well, which is why he invited the two over. It would be a shame to not make proper accommodations with the little prodigy especially after the volumes Roy had spoken about him.

He wasn't sure what to make of the boy. As nice as he sounded something about his presence raised questions. His friend Roy had expressed his worry over the time Iscariot had taken Edward. Apparently Edward dodged the subject.

"It's good to see you ..."

"Who's the short one daddy?", Elicia asked innocently.

Hughes hid a growing smile when he saw the alchemist's reaction, a face caught in mid smile, definitely twitching from withholding certain doom.

"Hi there, I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist and I'm not shrimp sized."

* * *

"Daddy, stop it your beard tickles!"

Hughes couldn't stop himself from embracing his daughter and cuddling his face against her own. Child laughter enriched the forever growing smile on his face. Elicia was gently tugged away from his arms. Shoot, he thought to himself, why won't my lovely wife let me show off my daughter to everyone?

"Honey, you should really entertain our guest", she laughed out.

"I am!"

"Without the use of Elicia I mean."

Hughes sighed in defeat. No fair! A tingling buzz directed his view towards Edward. He sat stiffly on the velvet couch beside Roy. Eyebrows were raised in skepticism and awe while his jaw was set tight in anxiety. He quickly looked away when Hughes caught him. The man wondered whether the little alchemist was accustomed to being around people, specifically other families. Although he was still young he didn't appear to be very playful for his age or very expectant of some parental advice.

"You're a single child, right?"

The boy was startled by the question. He fumbled with words before answering, "Y-yeah. I don't have any siblings."

"I understand that both your parents are gone also?"

A cautious air had settled in at Hughes words so he continued, "You know you're welcomed to come here at any time. If there's anything you need you can ask. My family would be happy to have you come over more often. The more the merrier."

"T-Thank you,sir, uh, ."

"Then you'll come to my daughter's third birthday party!"

Once more the boy fumbled with a series of sounds while Hughes shook both of his hands ecstatically. Hughes began to search for a picture of his daughter but not before registering the shy honest smile on the boy's face.

* * *

"So where did he learn alchemy?" Gracia asked .

The question echoed in the absence of the alchemist who had gone to the balcony of Hughes's study to catch the night time breeze. Roy became his voice as he answered, "He learned from the books his father kept. Since he was home schooled he had plenty of spare time for reading."

"It's so amazing to see how intelligent someone can be."

"Well, he's not just anybody. Extremely gifted he is to have such a beautiful mind and be able to work with it."

That was when he heard it. A spell being spent out, a turmoil of songs that couldn't possibly be sung but by sirens and dead men. Gracia and Roy continued to nibble on soft cookies despite the virulent smell that swelled in the air. That sound... it was beautiful. Excusing himself the man followed its trail. He needed to know where it came from. The singer's voice caused him to lean in for if he ever missed a single word he would surely regret it, and that fact alone made it no less charming. His study. Yeah, that's where the sound came from. There was only one person there.

A cool breeze filled the entire room. Books snuggled tighter against their bookshelves and the furniture awaited the warmth of the living. The balcony doors were open wide. Outside stood Edward. The voice... it came from him. It had changed to simple but harmonious songs of whispers. Hughes understood nothing from the words that were said. They were in a language which he faintly recognized. At one point he had heard similar words. Where?

"MAES!"

Hughes heard the sound of bodies struggling in the living room, his wife calling out to him desperately. The disoriented state he had been in lifted. He took a step to begin the journey down the hallway that had brought him here before remembering what he had witnessed moments before. He turned his head to the now vacant study, balcony doors closed. There was no sign of the Fullmetal Alchemist. He cursed under his breath as he took the only choice and went to see what was occurring inside his home.

His wife's call was muffled by the gloved hand of a large man while her own were bound underneath another arm. Hughes noticed two other men fighting Roy who was visibly more than an adequate challenge. Their punches and kicks became faster and stronger the more the older alchemist dodged and blocked. He couldn't afford to attack or his defense would fail. He was already being backed into the next room.

Hughes did the sensible thing and charged against his wife's attacker. Like a rag doll she was thrown aside to the better safety of the wooden floor. He threw a punch expecting for the other man to grab at his fist or wrist and pull him in for a different attack. When the intruder went along with it Hughes bashed his skull against fragile nose. The hand that gripped his wrist loosened enough for him to back away and ready himself for a proper punch this time but seemingly not fazed by a broken nose, the intruder tackled Hughes down.

Petrified by fear, Hughes's wife had scrambled away from the thrashing men. She disappeared down the hallway he had entered seconds ago, becoming hazy in the distance.

Her husband attempted to escape from underneath the weight of his attacker only to be pulled back down as he tried to get back on his feet. Arm muscles wrapped piercing tight around his neck, oxygen immediately deprived from his lungs. Long legs were equally tight around his waist. They sat forcibly together against the wall with one unfortunate man growing red in the face. His sight began to blur and his efforts to escape weakened. Down the hallway a figure crowned by gold slowly emerged, it's upper half swinging backwards and forwards with a snap.

The body that suffocated him became pinned to the wall and went limp. Hughes threw himself forward, retching at the need for air. He felt warm wetness on his hair and face being smeared by his hands. A familiar shiver traveled down his spine. The Fullmetal Alchemist stood in the open, a long fire poker in his grasp leaning with leisure on his shoulder. The second arm lay condescendingly on his hip while the boy's chin was held high in opposition. Hughes could feel the trembling of his own nerves.

His previous attacker had been penetrated by another well aimed fire poker to the eye. There he lay bleeding profusely from a irreversible wound. Hughes could only wonder how close that piece of metal had whistled by his face. The end of the tick was not visible behind the dead man's head. Its edge dug deeply into the stained wall.

The shattering of porcelain and glass splintered the momentary silence. It caused for the young alchemist to turn in its direction, a frown adoring his face. He allowed for the poker to fall from his shoulder and to be twirled in his white gloved hand. Hughes followed him to the dining room where his table stood amidst debris. The plates and cabinets sprinkled the glossy floor. He couldn't blame Roy for breaking so much of his property though when he was the one being repeatedly smashed into every piece of tolerant furniture.

Before he could help fend off his friend's abusers the Fullmetal Alchemist raced forward. The men barely registered his presence until the slender but painful metal poker whipped across one of the mans' faces, partially tearing the mask that clung to the unknown. A scream emitted from behind the cloth and hands that attempted to caress the deep gash on its flesh. The short alchemist whirled around to deliver an even more painful wound to the other man, the sharp metal cutting along the neck and collarbone. With that, Roy elbowed the first man square in the face while the boy landed a satisfying round house kick to the other's gut. The two bodies joined the rubble on the floor.

The evening crawled on as military investigators shuffled about the apartment, a light drizzle resting on coats. The building residents were chattering crickets under streetlight. Hughes sat under the shadow of a vehicle alongside his family, an umbrella extended over their heads. His wife shook lightly despite the warmness of the night.

"Investigators are counting this as an attempted robbery. They found a vehicle a couple of blocks away filled with equipment and valuables. The two men that were arrested have a history with local police too." Roy spoke as he approached the family.

"How unfortunate that our neighborhood was the target," expressed with a saddened sigh. Knowing better than to stick around for details, she asked Elicia to walk with her to converse with the neighbors. Waiting for them to be out of ear shot, Hughes said, "Don't you think that it was a little bit more than an attempted robbery?"

His friend nodded in agreement but admitted his skepticism. "Those men were decent fighters." Yet he shrugged dismissively. "Could just be street bandits getting bolder. Still amateurs in other ways though."

"What about him?" Hughes discreetly pointed his chin at the hooded boy that sat on the sidewalk at a distance. Roy uncharacteristically responded with silence. The three of them had walked by the impaled corpse, the little alchemist only pausing to rip out the poker. He hadn't given his victim a second glance. Hughes had seen the way he had avoided Roy's gaze even more, an ashen shame visible in the way he did so. That shame was in no way dedicated towards the dead man though.

"It was a complete over-kill. Literally," Hughes continued, "I didn't think it would be so easy for him." The Ishvalan War bloomed horrifically at the back of his mind. As a soldier he had committed himself to his country, was suppose to be able to follow orders without hesitation even when death was the outcome. No man could accommodate themselves with it. Hughes could not explain the Fullmetal Alchemist's willingness to take a life and still be capable of shame. Deep down everyone knew of the endless cycle.

We've all become weapons. Just look at us now.

He made him way towards the boy and sat down beside him. Edward stopped in the middle of nervous fidgeting to turn his attention to Hughes.

"I, um, I'm sorry about what happened today. I don't know if you can tell but I'm very high strunged," explained Edward.

"It's alright. You helped keep my family safe after all. I just wanted to remind you that there are people here you can trust. The military can be a tough place to be in... I'm pretty sure you found out how difficult it can be to understand its motives."

The last part was intended as a sort of apology for the experiences that Edward had surely gone through and were yet to come in the life of a soldier. Common it was to be ordered to kill. There wasn't much to be done when a superior stepped over you and demanded the job to be completed. Questions would occasionally arise within one's self yet they still remained a soldier. If Edward was going to go down this path then at least he should use it to improve his country.

In a low content voice he responded, "I know it may not seem like it... I do understand the life I've chosen. Harsh it is... but I don't plan on giving in."

At the time Hughes could have never understood what Edward Elric meant.

* * *

This wasn't real. He knew it was all imaginary. Yet it was real and they both could feel. No, all the pain was just inside his head. He was a flame drowning in a sea of longing, broken by a serpentine. Something within his human side was changing. Violently it changes...

Roy stirred in his sleep, reaching up to unbutton his shirt before it suffocated him. He needed to get out of this skin that threatened him so often now rather than enchant his supposed womanizing attitudes and behavior. Most of the military knew him as such, a highly ranked officer for his age, a mysterious character with powerful connections. No one could understand where his heart laid.

Oh, but there was someone.

His body began to shift beneath sheets. The weight upon the mattress was not only of his own he realized. The air he breathed was dangerous. The bed he was on part of sin. Scandalous yes he was. Edward Elric slept beside him, metallic hand resting on the only space that separated the two bodies. A heat built itself within Roy. Nausea rolled over his very bones.

There was no turning back now, no way to undo his crimes. This child had woken up a demon in him. The sickness was rising and did not allow him to deny what he felt. His morality that was once good has died. It was a fast decay that settled within his decency. He was having trouble dealing with these changes, living with these changes.

Why did this keep happening? Why did he continue to find himself along side the sleeping form of the one person who was forbidden to him. No, he wasn't forbidden. Roy had had him before and he did now. But he should be.


	9. Chapter 9

"Colonel, you need to pay attention to your paper work and not the clock."

Riza stood sternly infront of Roy's desk, a hand drifting ever so slightly near the gun at her waist. Roy couldn't stop the gulp that swelled his throat. He didn't need a bullet hole in the head.

"But I will allow you to go home as usual only because Edward is expecting you after work hours."

At Riza's words of release Roy allowed his facial features to go dumb, exhaling a puff of relief. May she forever have mercy on him!

"Hey boss, when are we going to get to see the kid again?" asked Breda.

"Yeah, it's been almost a year since we've seen him ever since Iscariot took him," Havoc pitched in.

"Fullmetal's on break so he won't be coming to the office for some time but I'll make sure to invite him to visit every once in a while before going on full duty again," Roy responded. "I'll be seeing you all Monday."

A sudden distaste contaminated Roy's mouth when he put on his coat. If he remembered correctly, Fullmetal had been wrapped inside of it the evening they had fought the intruders in Hughes's apartment. Just like today the atmosphere had been warm and humid with a light spray of rain here and there. He knew the small alchemist wouldn't be bothered by the cold but his automail ports would become sore with the pre storm weather, a flaw he knew the boy rather not display. Underneath Roy's coat Fullmetal had hid himself as he massaged his right shoulder and left leg in efforts of comforting himself of the pain. Roy hadn't even asked the other alchemist for his opinion. He had placed the coat around small shoulders and allowed for the boy to fix it to his liking. Golden eyes had looked up at him with a shining gratitude.

His conscious had begun to open itself to truth. A power has enabled him to dwell in a past which he now understood why he had been deprived of.

Roy's house was constantly filled with an ecstatic energy that crackled between the two males. Experiences had conspired here and yet the older man was barely aware of it. He had only known the Fullmetal Alchemist as a surbordinate relationship, one that had grown parental, and then friendly. Fullmetal had been his young comrade in battle when he had jioned the military at twelve years of age. He was a hot tempered boy that showed how immature he could be at the slightest mention of his height. He had silly wishes of growing taller and slapping the Colonel across the face. He was an eager boy when it came to the study of alchemy. He was an unstoppable warrior on the field. Fullmetal saw through the Colonel's arrogant selfish facade. He had learned of his true intentions to lead the country of Amesties to a better future. They were a pain to one another. The young alchemist dreaded office meetings with his superior due to the Colone's constant teasing but he proved to be more than the older man had initially thought. He'd grown so close to the boy that he had offered him a place in his home rather than military dorms.

No one could understand the connection that had formed between them, not even themselves. To the morals of society their love was perversion and confusion, pedophilia to victimize. No one but Roy Mustang had been shown the horrors of Edward Elric's past and what possibly lay in his future.

The Flame Alchemist drove through the rain. Again, here came the rain.

 _I guess this is the price we pay for us._

" _You're a tough one you know."_

In the car a little boy had joined him. Edward leaned against the window, a smile on his lips. " _There's no way I'm going to be able to stop you,"_ he laughed.

Roy smiled as he looked up to the road. When he looked back at the passenger seat it was empty.

* * *

The house was filled with a serene silence that came with late night readings. Like always he found his library littered with books and several empty cups of coffee. He wasn't going to clean this mess up.

"I got it, I got it. No need to make a fuss." From behind the couch crawled out the little litterbug. "AGH, don't call me little!"

"How the hell do you do that?!"

"I'm not doing anything," Edward said innocently.

Roy already felt the mystified frustration making its way up his throat. It was slighty disturbing that Edward knew what he was thinking at the most random times. After living with him for the time they did he still didn't understand what strings the boy was pulling.

"Hahahaha okay I'll stop poking around inside your head. You're just so loud in there." Edward's laughed died down when he saw what he had left on the table nearby. Within a intricately crafted bowl a burnt out candle dripped its black wax upon an unknown liquid. He waited in anticipation when Roy went to see just exactly the substance was. It was blood. Again he waited for a response when Roy picked up a book from the floor. This particulary leather bound text was not part of his library. Flipping through the contents he was dumbfolded to find that it was a book on witchcraft.

That's right... aside from alchemy Edward had studied witchcraft when he was younger. In his amnesiac-like state Roy could vaguely remember learning about this practice some time before Edward left to Iscariot. That's why he was always doing things that Roy didn't understand.

Things like wiping away his memory.

"I'll-I'll clean it up." Edward must've seen it in his eyes, the flame igniting once again. He hastily walked to the bowl but before he could take hold of it Roy grabbed his wrist. He was frightened, tembling. With frantic gold eyes he glared at him tragically. The older man was perturbed by the obvious fear. He couldn't gather any anger within himself to yell at the poor boy. He couldn't voice his discovery because it was beyond sin. Instead he found himself trembling just as badly as Edward.

"How long- Damn it, how long has this been going on for?!" Roy spoke in wisps of panic, feeling the entire world slip out of control. "Damn it, tell me Ed! I know you've been supressing my memory...my...my memory of us!" Reality dawned on him with the force of a thousand suns. The thundering of his heart forced him to gasp for air. Why had he kept the truth from him...

He knew why. Roy had fallen inlove with a minor. There was nothing he could do to stop it. He didn't know when it had happened. The simple mind he possesed couldn't process it all.

"You were only twelve..." he managed with a rasp.

The boy burst into tears. "You needed to move forward and those Iscariot bastards took me away. I couldn't afford to have you held against me. If anyone found out your career would be dead and we would both be whipped at the steak. The church and the military wouldn't have forgiven us. I'm sorry but you knew too much about me, too much to put you at risk." Roy released the small boy. Immediatly Edward sunk to the ground. His voice became a deadly whisper. "You know why my parents did what they did. You know what has been done to me. The way my body has been ravaged...because of who they think I am!"

The consequences of his identity were indeed problematic. The details needed to remain unspoken. But Roy refused one thing.

He pulled the boy up to his face with unwavering determination. "I don't care what the entire world thinks. What we created between us is undeniable. What you gave me can only die by your knife. I know you'd never dare to disappear."

* * *

Fingers snapped the air again and again, sparks flying through lines of men and throwing them to the sides as explosions birthed from the quick deft movement. The gloves held the arrays of a deadly alchemy, an alchemy that brought the hellish heat that cremated the dead. Indeed they once had burned bodies to ashes. Every single one had been very much alive when they burned.

The Amestris army pushed forward with every fire that was ignited by the alchemist. No man could defy him unless they were a fool. Yet the man did not aim to kill. A ridiculous choice by the Roy if it was considered how much longer battles might last between the opposing armies, but the older man was fond of the idea of prioritizing the lives of human beings rather than digging mass graves. Perhaps an inconvenience . An inconvenient soft attitude for a man planning his presidency.

Many soldiers had proven themselves a powerful force in the Ishvalan War. Alchemists had proven their ruthlessness. Here he was, the legendary Flame Alchemist scattering troops like roaches.

"Yo, Roy boy!" A saluting Lt. Colonel Hughes smiled at Roy from a short distance.

"Where have you been?!" Roy asked incredulously.

"Well hiding of course. The danger seems to have rollen over here." Hughes responded with a thumbs-up. Roy squinted at his friend. "Didn't you consider helping out your fellow troops?"

"Eh? This lot? Nah, they're handling the situation well. Anyways I'm not going under the same top as you freaks."

"FREAKS?! I'm an alchemist!" Roy exploded.

"I've better get promoted for lurking in dangerous areas like these." Roy sulked his shoulders. His friend was a lost cause.

"Scout the area for any other individual enemy soldiers that might be hiding. Pick up any useful supplies and report back. Let's get a move on", Roy ordered.

The aftermath of the battle gave way to a rather bright sunset, shadows now coating rubble and abandoned homes and bussinesses. A once buzzing town lay desolate with the execption of a small squadron of Amestris soldiers.

A young cadet jogged towards the alchemist, a formal salute given before speaking.

"Sir, I have a message from the eastern side of the field. They report a sudden retreat from the enemy. At least that is what they suspect as their fire power ceased significantly. They don't think it is due to a lack of ammo though. They send a war-"

The shot resounded from building to building. The Flame Alchemist felt a wild burn on his gloved hand with a terrible realization. His alchemic array was torn and stained in his blood from a grazing bullet. He recognized the familiarity of the deadly shell that now made him virtually useless as a state alchemist. Now he could only rely on his mortal skills to survive.

Those who had caught on with the situation jumped behind piles of rubble while the slower ones were taken out by a swarm of bullets that seemed to cover all that was visible.

"Shit, they've only backed down because they were waiting on reinforcements", Hughes exclaimed. "Hey, you!" He pulled in the trembling cadet by the shirt. "What orders were you to deliver?"

The young man stuttered tremendously before opening his mouth, "T-They've called on for extermination!"

"They should've made up their minds before sending us here", said a frustated Colonel.

"Sir!", a soldier called out, "Our squadron has been fighting for hours before you arrived. We barely have supplies now."

"For crying out loud..."

"Colonel Mustang," the cadet beside him spoke up shyly, "They've sent reinforcements out to every squadron. They should be arriving in a few minutes."

"Everyone try to hold your ground," Roy shouted, "back up only if it's completely necessary! Aim to kill!"

And just like that the men picked up their guns and put up a pathetic defense in the eyes of the enemy. There was barely any pause between shots. The little silence that formulated from time to time brought upon a painful ringing in ears that would surely lose their hearing. The Amestris spend most of their time hidden behind the stone that they wish could hug them tightly and ward off the chances of death.

Colonel Mustang swore he'd get a really long vacation from this military crap if he made it out alive. He'd been sent out of Central towards the south frontier war with Aerugo. Hughes was right, he'd better get promoted.

It wasn't long before they had nothing but knives and swords in hand. A long ringing decended upon the battlefield like the ghostly breath of wasted earth. It lasted too many seconds to be ignored. With nervous hesitance Roy peeked over the rubble that protected him. Everywhere he looked he spotted an enemy at the other side of the battlefield. They held a awe in the way their mouths opened and their movements slowed. Were they trembling?

"Roy..." Hughes barely whispered his name, a strange mix of fear and hope in the way he did so.

The man turned with a growing cusiority. He didn't understand what could possibly disrupt the chaotic flow of war. There was nothing that could petrify hundreds of armed men at a moments notice. Admittedly not even the infamous Flame Alchemist could bring upon that type of reaction.

Dust dissipated atop a toppled building in the growing eeriness and tense silence of the battlefield. Roy struggled to find the source of interest amongst the swirling mass. Finally the wind whisked away the dusty air, a small figure becoming visible. The sun gleamed against a very young face. It looked down upon the ruins and insects that were men with a disaproving frown. No matter which way the sun gleamed against the boy it couldn't erase the menace he was to quivering cowarding men. His black clothes grabbed at all possible shadows and white gloves glowed with a deadly angelic light.

"What was that you said about reinforcements again," Hughes said.

The Fullmetal Alchemist has arrived.

"ATTACK!"

The roar came from a single commanding officer that reeked of an unspeakable fear. An embarrassing moment of stillness followed the order as knowing eyes became uncapable of looking at anything else but the boy. Their wide eyes stared at him as if he were the monster that had lurked within their worst dreams.

It was a frenzy of soldiers that at last broke the ice. The boom of a dozen cannons forced the Amestris to lay on their stomachs and cover their heads. The mistles whistled through the air like hungry vultures. Roy strained to keep sight of the alchemist but the boy stood his ground.

A simple clap rippled through the entire space before the set of hands flung themselves upwards. Colorful streaks of lighting infiltrated the air. The mistles were detroyed mid way through their path. The explosions fell from the sky to add on to the beaten earth that insects dared to crawl on. In a panic flurry the Aerugeons began to prepare their guns but another clap and light enveloped their weapons and left them as broken toys. With one last regretful effort the entire army surged forward with swords.

The Amestris could do nothing agaisnt the approaching stampede.

An earthquake awoke and the burnt ground rose towards the sky. It wrapped around the enemy like a vice. The Fullmetal Alchemist had two hands firmly pressed on the earth. The energy that surged through him seemed endless. He destroyed and reconstructed the landscape, pillars, spikes, and ditches forming at an impossibly fast rate. Roy stood in place watching the strange shifting of solid like liquid. The land danced a treacherous dance that left its partner breathless. In the end when the earth became newly settled upon itself and silence was welcomed, bodies hung on the streets to adore.

* * *

He tried in vain to ignore the stares of dozenz of blue uniformed men. The wreckage that he'd created could not be dismissed as easily as debris that became nonexistent in the sea. Then again this land had become his own sea of corpses and agonized souls. A crest of blood was now within the soil just like everywhere else he went.

"You are all to return to basecamp where supplies will be replenished. There's nothing planned for you tonight."

Edward didn't want to bother with introductions or explanations. He proceeded to walk away from the mess he'd made. A numbness had infected his head when he walked into the battllefield. He felt nothing for the lives he had taken. It hadn't been fun or difficult. He didn't feel guilt or satisfaction. All he had found was unfortunate men that had discovered a war they were unable to win.

"Fullmetal!"

Edward scowel heavily as he replied, "If I'd known this was your squadron I would've let those Aerugeons topple you over."

Colonel Mustang flashed a malignant grin at him. "My superiors will be delighted to know that things have been dealt with."

"Yeah, thanks to me," Edward recounted.

The alchemist continued walking. He felt the Colonel follow close behind as well as another pair of boots. Edward took a second to awknowledge Maes Hughes's presence with a blank look which was returned by a scrutinizing gaze. He frowned to himself. Conflicting feelings made themselves present.

In his soundless quarry Edward failed to notice the movement a few paces ahead of him. He stopped only when he felt something gripping him by the ankle, nails digging into the leather of his boots. Immediately a gun sounded off, echoing in the vast wasteland. Edward faintly heard the bullet ricochei off his prosthetic arm and penetrate stone.

With hands in his pant pockets he smashed the soldier's head into the ground with his other foot. Unfortunatly for the poor crippled soldier that foot was also his steel prosthetic. The man had released the boy's ankle and his gun as soon as his head hit the ground. Edward played around with the applied pressure that made the soldier squerm.

"You shouldn't have done that," Edward whispered.

Half of the man's body lay under rubble, legs twisted at odd angles. His brow was bloodied by the open wounds on his skull. His life was nothing more than a consequence of war. It didn't matter whether he lived or died now. Edward removed his foot and was about to drift away but the man began to speak.

"You really are the devil," he coughed out, "They said you were the devil's child but no, you are Satan himself. With these powers you disguised as alchemy..." The soldier wheezed, no doubt having some broken ribs but he just wouldn't keep quiet."Your country... they dare to mingle with demons like you... they... they will feel the wrath of-"

Edward had enough.

The boy gripped the nearly dead man by the hair and held it mere inches from his own face. This little shit had pushed him to his limits, these words the same that he had heard one too many times in his childhood.

With wide hateful eyes Edward spoke, "My mother used to say something similar. She's lucky to have only gotten off with one blind eye, you know. As for this country, this entire world, how can I destroy it when it's already dead. Men like you have such an easy soul to steal."

He swung his knee as hard as he could into the man's face. A sickening crack silenced the man.

The boy was only vaguely grateful that most of the men had shaken themselves out of their surprise and had abandoned the war zone before they got a chance to witness any of this. Vaguely appreciated. Colonel Mustang and Hughes watched him, had watched every second of it.

"Tch", Edward looked down at himself and then to the darkening sky. He could feel an evil so primeval that no one could possibly measure, yet he was carved into time.

* * *

The rumbling of the train engines and carts was a soothing lullyby for its passengers. Women and men dozed off on plush seats, unaware of the night sky passing overhead. Sometimes one would be able to watch the bustling of a city or slowness of a countryside town. Tonight there was nothing but wild grasslands and forest that pressed up against the trail tracks. The stars were difficult to see through thick and twisted branches. The only other source of light was the dimly lit cart on which they rode on.

Edward mindlessly pressed his flesh hand against the window. It was cold, his fingers leaving their imprint and then slowly fading away. Careful not to make his automail creek he felt along its equally cold features, the curves and spaces that decorated its surface. His flesh hand could faintly feel the dense dent left by the day's earlier bullet.

He was glad to be away from the southern frontier after an entire week of work. The military had definetly lied to him when they said he was on break. Oooh nooo, the Amestris were being overwhelmed. He could've cared less but there was no way around orders. He wasn't the only one who was sent over anyways. Colonel Mustang had grumbled over ruined date schedules and whatnot. Speaking of which, he sat beside Edward with crossed arms and his head slighty tilted, his breathing audible in the quiet cart.

There weren't many people on this particular cart which added on a lonely note for those who rode without a companion. The little alchemist allowed his eyes to roam about the Colonel's face. He never seemed to get used to that handsome annoying face. Such a physical apperance made him look younger than he was and even more of an impressive military power. Many people knew the Colonel as the Hero of Ishval for his flame alchemy during the war. Others only used him as a point of gossip. None of them understood why or how Roy Mustang had climbed up the ladder so quickly.

They didn't understand of his early sorrows.

The man began to stir from his short lived slumber. Edward looked away with a blush spreading throughout his cheeks. No one needed to see him like this. Stretching his stiff limbs the Colonel seemed to have noticed the boy.

"Having trouble sleeping?" he asked.

"More like I don't want to sleep..." Edward mumbled.

The Colonel ended his stretch with an arm across the top of their seat. He wasn't far from Edward's shoulders now. Tiny details forced Edward to turn back to look at the man.

"Can I ask you something?"

The Colonel lightly raised his eye brows, "Sure."

"Do you ever regret not choosing a different route? Other than the military?"

Edward did not ask this ignorantly. He'd already learned much about his superior his first year in the military. He knew that at one point the Colonel had stuck a pistol in his mouth and had almost puller the trigger. Riza Haweye's father would eventually teach him the secrets of flame alchemy. Those secrets the lieutenant bore on her flesh. No one would suspect that her back held such a destructive science. Even if the world found out they would not be able to read the burnt and scarred skin. Edward could not honestly sympathize with this story that should be tragic. All he cared about was the present.

Every other event in Roy's life had led him to where he was now. It was strange to Edward to be beside such a person. This lifespan, this soul had been his age once, had become brittle under the pressure and was now holding his head high to an entire government. It was mind boggling to think such humans could exist. Was he a murderer or a hero for the things he's done? What about his subordinates? Were they merely pawns like the Colonel portrayed them as or loyal friends?

"Well, I've never been able to imagine myself anywhere else so I guess I can say there's nothing to regret," the man answered. There was no bitterness in his response. "How about you?"

Edward leaned back in his seat and stretched out his prosthetic arm that hid underneath his jacket. He stared at it as he spoke,"I don't know. I...I never really knew what motivated me to do anything until I was given the offer. It still seems a blur but... I live just to live. To experience. To grasp the reality of my world." The boy felt himself speaking honestly and so he continued, "I just find it strange... People drifting by everyday without knowing what purpose is. I don't feel like they live just because of the fact that they're alive or because they are who they are. I have meaning simply for being me. I do what I please and whatever will keep me alive. As for how I ended up in the military..."

He looked the Colonel who gave a nod.

"You now what the entire world has labeled me for. My hometown, my parents...those Aerugeon soldiers...they all believe I'm not human. Everyone and everything has abused me wherever I go," he gave a crooked smile. "Well I guess not everyone. Not anymore. A certain someone has proven that." He chuckled at his next remark, "Eh, I once called you a dog of the military but hey, we're part of the same game now."

The Colonel shared his amusement with a chuckle of his own. "It may be true but look at it this way; who's to say you're not human when there are plenty out there who have committed the same actions. Either way apperances should be the least of anyone's worriers." He gave a sudden hesitation that concerned Edward.

"Edward, what happened with Iscariot?"

His emotions took a turn for the worse at the question he'd been dreading. Edward could barely hold in the burts of energy that pounded at his surface. Already he felt the temperature around him drop dramatically to a painful chill. Dammit, he had promised Roy already that he would stop wiping away his memory. How much did he remember?

His pent up shrieks and memories needed to be relieved in one way or another but he damned himself for this. He pressed his hand over his mouth to keep agonized sobs from escaping, his body shaking violently with every cry. The pain in his chest swelled so much he thought he'd suffocate. Strong arms pulled him into a large body, a hand reassuringly combing his head. On Roy's chest he buried himself. Edward couldn't recount all the times the man had embraced him this way. He couldn't recount anyone else ever treating him so human.

Because frankly, he wasn't.

* * *

 _"What are you doing? STOP! FUCKING STOP!"_

 _Pleas did nothing against these madmen. Flesh was torn away from its bones and bones torn away from the whole. Back and forth he rocked in his chair. A thousand vultures had came and went from morning to night, from now to forever._

 _Edward wondered how long it would take until the idea occurred to them to rip out his automail ports since they had already taken gis flesh fingers and toes. They never seemed to get bored of it though, seeing how quickly the appendages regenerated. They picked at them gingerly, poking about in awe. Then came the use of their wicked tools and wicked hands. Everyone was welcomed to take a turn._

 _His mouth stretched to its limits and his vocal cords gritted from the screams that emitted from within his vulnerable body._

 _"Look, he's whining like a dog now! Panting no less."_

 _The voices spoke cheerfully, almist flattered by the response they gained._

 _How much could he take before passing out? Yeah, it would be best to pass out. They would leave him alone then, wouldn't they?_

 _"Oh, no. It's not nap time yet."_

 _"Don't...DON'T!"_

 _Uselessly he struggled to back away from the crawler that dangled above. Slowly the twisting glistening being made its way around his face. Edward tried to stay still but he couldn't prevent himself from gasping exasperatedly. With lips and eyes tightly sealed he hoped the centipede would find a better place._

 _Insane laughter raked his entire body as a painful tickle traveled through his temple. He wanted to scream so badly... he was sure all he heard was the fidgeting of a thousand crawling legs._

"Ed, we have to get off the train. Heh, you slept out the entire ride."


	10. Chapter 10

_"I told my superiors that you lost your limbs out east during the war. "_

 _"Awfully kind of you to take orders from a twelve year old, Colonel."_

 _Roy gave a twitching smile. "Please don't take my favor for granted. You do still owe me an expla-"_

 _The request hadn't even been fully spoken before the boy stood up and made his way forward. In front of Roy's desk hands undid the hard glistening buckle that kept black cloth over a small torso. The click resounded defiantly in the office. In a few seconds the black jacket fell to the ground. Light pouring in from the large window behind disrupted the Colonel's vision. Slowly the dancing spots faded away to expose metal attached to flesh. Appalled the man examined the automail prosthetic. The skin that met the automail arm was severely scared. It was a harsh brown compared to the rest of the lightly tanned skin. Expecting a cringing response from his superior Edward already begun to hang his head. Defeated the boy stood._

 _The arm was beautifully crafted to match its opposite. The mastermind behind the design must've had a good eye and hand because there seemed to be no difference in size between the two limbs. Real and artificial existed in harmony._

 _Quietly the boy began to speak,"I was in the hospital for only a month before I set out to get the surgery. I was of no use to the military without an arm and leg so," he shrugged before continuing, "Less than a year and well, I'm now a state alchemist."_

 _"Your left leg.."_

 _"Done by the same engineer."_

 _The lack of a response caused the newly made state alchemist to sigh. He proceeded to pull up a chair. His jacket lay on the floor forgotten._

 _"You probably know how deeply devoted my parents were to the church, don't you? They we're well respected in Resembool. Any other small town like that thought they were overdoing it... Well that's besides the point. I'll give it to you plain and simple, Colonel. They were too deep up in their own god damn heads and downright obsessed. My birth was from sin. That's what they believed. They wanted to correct their wrongs. Apparently they had no choice but to kill me." Roy looked at the automail arm. "Try and kill me that is."_

 _He now eyed the young boy expectantly. "I know enough from my research to confirm that as the truth. But it's not the entire truth now, is it?"_

 _Roy received another sigh. The Fullmetal Alchemist put his metallic elbow on the armrest of his chair and leaned his chin against his hand. A playful look of annoyance sparked his eyes with an intense fire. "Oi have some patience with me, Colonel."_


	11. Chapter 11

Leaves circled in the wind and across the vast countryside. Grasslands led particularly nowhere for any stranger that found themselves roaming about. Neighbors were almost nonexistent with the distance that existed between properties. Homes snuggled under the cover of tall lively trees. Hills rolled over and over, up and down, left and right. A small valley was born at its concealed center.

Closer Alphonse walked to the dissipating pile of ashes. What was once his home lay in ruins. Among the rubble there was nothing preserved by whatever cruel fire had devoured his life. Armor clang as he knelt to the gray ground. The burnt remains were definitely not that old. He wondered where its inhabitants had gone. This house could've directed his path. He needed to find his brother. The witches had advised him to search here before the land was gone...

"Edward... did you do this?"

* * *

"I have a wife but that doesn't mean I can't direct you to yours."

"You don't know my taste in women, Hughes. You definitely don't have my good looks and moves either."

With the exception of Roy and his friends, the bar bustled slowly tonight with a few regulars. The women were of no impressive beauty to either men. Hughes only teased but Roy couldn't help feel a scrambling guilty conscious. Any other day he'd lure a lady in with whispers of something greater. The response was undeniably enjoyable. A challenge would arise here and there, the woman holding their weight like a delicate balanced object that the man was expected not to break. Roy always managed to pass by that tactic. It was only for sport though. In the end he'd sneak away from a very disappointed madam. Drinking here in this place made him feel unfaithful to what he had established with Edward. No one could have guessed what existed between them. No one needed to know.

"Why don't you two get me a girlfriend? Roy stole my last one."

"For the last time Havoc, I didn't steal your girlfriend."

"It sounds like you're looking for some good time with a lady. Oi, Martel! Why don't you hook up with this fella?"

Flabbergasted the trio stared at the newcomer with gaping mouths. Swiping away Havoc's unlit cigarette the muscular man placed it between his own teeth. His outfit was flashy with its black best and fur lining, black leather pants and shoes that only Edward would approve of. An equally appalling woman appeared from a near by booth. She looked like a cadet in her tank-top and green khaki cargo pants. Dirty blond hair was cut short except for a single curl. Martel's pale arms bore a craze of tattoos while her partner held a single one on his right hand. Roy couldn't make out the exact design behind a bundle of bracelets.

"Ahhh are you joking Greed." Martel looked at Roy with realization. "Hey, isn't he the one that's always with the pipsqueak."

The apparent Greed examined Roy behind lavender tinted lens. "Hmm, I guess he is." Roy braced himself for a tantrum but then remembered that the pipsqueak wasn't there. He soon abandoned that thought and was raked with alarm. People only acknowledged the time the two spent together in the office, almost forgetting about the fact that they shared the same home. Those people pretty much included his subordinates and Hughes. Roy made sure he took Edward out to places where a typical passerby wouldn't remember either of them. Martel and Greed were referring to him knowingly.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to know where Edward Elric is at the moment? You two are always out and about town like a pair of vagabonds. I figured you would have your arm wrapped around him right now. I'd like to ask him a favor." Hughes and Havoc turned to Roy questionably. Shit, this fucker seriously needed to stop rambling. "Eh, don't tell me your little boyfriend ran away or something? I thought you both came back to Central from out south. Did the shorty stay behind?"

He needed to get out of here. "Well, I need to head home now. What about you two?" Roy hoped that his friends would play along with his act. Greed obviously didn't want to leave empty handed. Men rose from their positions and guns were pointed. The three were outnumbered and outgunned by Greed's henchmen.

"I came here for one thing only. Let me ask you again, where's Edward Elric?"

* * *

"You steal my girlfriend and now you drag me into this!" Havoc efficiently cried in his never ending misfortune of lost women. What was going through Roy's mind when he signed this man as his subordinate?

Disregarding Havoc's whining Hughes said "It seems that as long that we don't pick up a fight they'll be nice. I don't want my face to get bruised up especially when I go back to my wife. I also need to look presentable for work tomorrow." Why was he friend with him again?

The three sat back to back in a bundle of tied ropes of arms and legs. They had been driven to some obscure location on the outskirts of Central by Greed and his bang of hooligans. Pathetically the hostages sat in some hidden room underneath some abandoned building.

"Don't worry my dear guests. I've already sent someone to fetch for the kid. I'm surprised he turned out to be a state alchemist. Meh, I haven't been in the part of the country for that long so."

"He's going to laugh at me." Roy could already imagine the mass amounts of blackmail he'll receive from Fullmetal. The Colonel was practically dripping with uselessness.

"It's getting boring hearing you men complain. Roa! Bring in the armor boy! I think it'll be good to get some more information from the lot of you." Roy could feel Havoc quivering at the clamoring of steel that came from outside. In entered a wide bearded man carrying what should be a suit of armor that was just as big.

"Please, Martel get out of me! It's creepy!" echoed a voice from somewhere inside the armor.

"Stay still! I don't want Roa dropping me again." echoed the woman back. "Ahg!" Roa dropped the suit of armor to the ground but immediately it began to try to crawl away despite its arms and legs being bound together. "What did I tell you! Greed, can I take a break from guard duty?"

"Go ahead. We just need him say hello anyhow."

The helm opened up to give way to a spacious interior as Martel wriggled out. The armor was now empty but the voice from before could still be heard, "Don't come back in please." The suit of armor was empty...

"Roy, you really did drag us into something this time," Hughes mumbled.

His head searched for one rational explanation. Alchemy gave birth to many things, destructive or not, but who would think of binding a soul to a suit of armor. Was that even possible? The rune was definitely there. No one would willingly throw away their body for something like that unless...

"You, in the armor! How did you lose your body?" he demanded. The armor went silent for so long that Roy thought he had imagined it speaking.

"I don't think there's any need to hide secrets, kid. I told you mine and I have no reason to rat you out. This is Roy Mustang from the military. We brought him in because Edward seems fond of him. I'm sure he wouldn't rat you out either." Although Greed was obviously involved with the underground world Roy suspected he wasn't one to lie. The only issue was that he kidnapped a lot of people. Roy that is. But what did Edward have to do with any of this?

Martel put the helm into place as the armor began speaking, "I lost my body during a rebound. I've been looking for a way to get it back. There was someone I needed to find first though. I ended up running into Greed who wants to know how my soul was transmutated into this armor but I don't have any memory of it. Edward is the one who completed the transmutation. Greed said you knew him. How is he? Is he well?"

Edward transmutating a soul...

"Please, I need to know if he's okay."

A rebound. A rebound that could take away an entire body.

"You attempted human transmutation." The truth in Roy's words shook everyone to silence. "What did you-"

Bricks were blown to pieces as an explosion demolished a wall. Through the newly made entrance walked in the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Whistle. You got here quicker than I thought." Greed billowed, forgetting all about their current conversation. "Finally, I can get what I came for." Fullmetal wasn't amused. Roy knew the look on the teens face. He was pissed.

"Edward?" The child within the armor was entranced in fascination at the short alchemist. "Is that really you?" Edward stared back at the armor with eyes of self-loathing. "You shouldn't have come here, Al."

"Brother, this man's a homunculus!"

Brother? Humunculus?

Edward's anger wavered at the statement. This was knowledge that he wanted and he looked almost jealous for not having it in his grasp sooner.

"Damn it Mustang. What the hell is going on?" Havoc asked.

"I'm taking the four of these idiots with me," the boy stated matter-of-factly. "I don't care what the hell you want. I don't make business with third-class rats."

"Now listen up you brat. Your brother here holds the key to near immortality. In exchange for telling me how to transmutate a soul into an object like that I'm tell you a little something about this body. Roa, show them what I mean."

A wave of red splattered onto the quizzical face of the young alchemist. Except for Roa and Martel, everyone was petrified. Thick, muscled arms swung a massive hammer through the man's skull, ripping the entire head off. Like an incomplete statue of some absurd fashion star stood a very much decapitated Greed. In seconds, alchemic light crackled on the remaining bits and furiously worked at repairing the damage. Roy couldn't stop from cringing away from the reforming man who wasn't a man at all. A homunculus, an artificially made human. Could the fairy tale be true?

"Heh...hehehe." Roy turned to Edward who clutched at what would've been his automail port. It seemed he was struggling to stand straight, a shudder penetrating his straight posture. The movement reminded him of the same shaking that had overtook his body in the hospital bed just years before.

He realized with horror that Edward was laughing.

The debris at his feet vibrated, almost levitating at the energy that possessed them. At an inhuman speed the Fullmetal Alchemist withdrew two long knives transmutated from the broken wall at either side of him and charged at his target. The tissue in Greed's eyes and nose were barely coming to a close when the two blades sliced through his throat.

Roy had seen Edward fight plenty of times. He was popularly known in the military not only for his ability to transmutate without a circle but the ability to defeat his opponents with blades, favorably his transmutated automail. His state alchemist test was the first piece of proof. Later on, Roy had seen him charge at numerous flank's of men armed with guns during frontier battles. Bullets barely grazed the boy. That's how Roy had grown used to the boy wandering out on his own because he knew nothing could defeat Edward. Scary was that thought considering that he was only fifteen. Age was the one thing that kept pestering Roy, the one fact that contributed to his protectiveness over Fullmetal. Right now Roy was fearing something different. The Fullmetal Alchemist was also known for the bloodbaths he reaped.

"You crazy asshole-" Martel withdrew her own set of knives from her waistband. Leaving the blades nicely implanted in Greed's neck, Fullmetal dodged her slashing knives and delivered a bone crunching punch to her jaw with his right fist. As she stumbled she still insisted on thrusting one of blades forward but the boy easily flung it aside. The knife skidded across the floor towards the three bound men. Roy acknowledged the chance of escape quickly overwhelmed by his child's actions. Fullmetal was favoring his steel prosthetic as weapons, a familiar strategy to end his battles quickly. The end coming with the death of his opponent. He's seen him kill before. Why did it bother him now?

Roa finally reacted from his initial shock and swung his hammer down on the boy. Seeing that the force of crush him instantly, Fullmetal used Martel's stumbling body to somersault over her shoulders. The woman barely escaped the massive weapon, scrambling backwards. The giant mumbled what was probably an apology as he lunged at Fullmetal. With lethal force he swung his hammer again but it only made contact with the fragile wall that crumbled. Roa wasn't fast enough and his target was too small. Again Martel raced at Fullmetal. Her frustration was getting the best of her, making her moves predictable.

"Brother, stop it!" The boy's pleas were ignored by the alchemist.

"Hey Roy, pass me the knife will you!" suggested Hughes. The ropes were too tight and wrapped well around his palms for Roy to etch a transmuattion circle on the floor and the knife was just out of reach. Uselessly he clawed with his foot at the shinning metal.

"Martel. Roa. Leave him to me." Greed gurgled, pulling the now blood coated blades from his throat. Slowly the wounds began to close. "Where the hell are the rest of them... Call Dochet down here to help you take the dogs and the armor."

"Oh, no you don't!" One clap and a long blade elongated from Fullmetal's automail arm. He intended on stabbing Greed in the chest with a direct hit but the motion was halted by the man's own hand. Pale flesh was replaced with an impenetrable black solid sheild, an irritating clang released from automail against the new substance.

"Let go!" helplessly cried Havoc. As he was dragged away by Roa and Martel, Roy's eyes would not allow him to abandon the scene. Edward wasn't fighting something human. For the first time he could clearly see the mark on Greed's hand. It was a tattoo of an ouroborous. Barely able to register the flurry of movements Roy watched as the boy slashed his blade, Greed pushed it aside with a black hand, Ed's whirling around with a high kick, Greed dodging and leaning in to swipe those dangerous sharp fingers across Edward's face. Edward slapped the attack aside, turning to stun his enemy with a backhand to the side of the head but Greed blocked it. The tall man attempted to wrap his arms around Edward, the boy responding with a flip of his body to prevent from being trapped in a vice. Another swipe of hardened hands Edward ducked, touching the floor with a clap and transmutating a series of pillars. Climbing the boy went higher and then leaped off the last rising stone, bringing down his blade. Greed simply protected his head with his hands.

"Useless! With a a steel sword like that you can;t even add a scratch to this ultimate shield."

The alchemist backed away and transmutated spikes from the ground which Greed demolished with his shield. He was distracted in this motion, allowing Edward to send a blast of stone shards straight to his chest. Greed prioritized this unprotected area leaving his head wide open. With an incredible jump Edward reached the man's neck with his legs, wrapping them around and using the momentum to whirl a complete circle. Greed's body fell, the short alchemist letting his weight drag the man to the ground. Blood squirted from Greed's mouth, his neck for sure broken.

Roy was finally out of the room but he could hear Greed's laughter. His words stung even more.

"If I was an ordinary human I'd have to go to a hospital for that."

"You're not ordinary human are you."

"Well, my body is of a human, just with regenerating abilities and the ultimate shield. Do you see, you can't beat me. It'll be smarter if you just do the trade... Are you really going to let such foolishness take away a chance at regaining your body, your brothers body?"

"I'll get it back once I beat your ass."

What the hell is he talking about Edward? What the hell are you doing?

* * *

The sewer was an endless green river of filth. On the wet pavement the men walked at gun point. A new member of Greed's gang had joined them, the one they had called Dochet. He resembled some ti-kwan-do trainee in his combat outfit. His face held pointy features, nose eyes, and ears of an elf.

"I'm telling you, that fucking midget beat the shit out of all our men guarding the top floor. He knocked me upside the head. I would've been down sooner to help if it weren't because of that."

"The boss for sure is gonna beat some sense into him." Martel chimed in from inside Al's armor. Although the hostages had been allowed to walk on their own their hands were still tied behind their backs and their two of their captors eased them forward with a budge of their guns. Seeing that an empty suit of armor who couldn't feel pain could be a potential problem, Martel had once again slipped in.

"Al, is it?" Roy tried for a conversation.

"Alphonse." the boy corrected.

"I didn't know Edward had siblings."

"You must be Colonel Mustang, right? Edward had mentioned you. Back there I wasn't sure if you were the same man but he gave me a pretty good description. Um, as you can see it wouldn't be convenient for the public to know that I'm his brother."

Hughes shot Roy a look. He wanted for him to keep the boy talking.

"Human transmutation...why did you attempt something so forbidden?"

"We didn't do it out of our own free will but it costs me my entire body." We? The toll for a transmutation that didn't even work was an entire body for this boy. What did that mean for Edward? What had he lost? "My brother...he gave up his arm as a toll to bring back my soul. That's why he attached it to this armor. It was the only decent thing laying around at the time." But Roy had seen the fresh wound on Edward's right side the day he had found him in the church. It didn't make sense.

"How is that even possible? I mean, what exactly defines a soul that it could be transferred like that?" wondered Havoc.

"Nothing's impossible in this world." For the first time Roa spoke up. His voice was old but strong. "Do you know what a chimera is?"

"Yeah." responded the hostages.

"You're looking at them right now."

Alphonse stopped in his tracks. "What? A successful human chimera has never been created before." He darted between Roa and Dochet, attempting to find some flaw.

""Like the old man said, nothing is impossible." repeated Martel. "You know why I haven't broken an arm or leg from being tossed around inside of you? My body is part snake. I'm pretty flexible." she said proudly. "Big Roa over there is a cow, and piss-leg-up is Dochet.

"Shut up, Martel!" cried Dochet.

"You're a dog?" Hughes voiced the absurd question.

"Yep. It's not so bad being chimeras you know. The experiment was painful but with Greed we've had our fun. Too bad that runt didn't go along peacefully. Greed could have taught him a thing or two."

"Brother's always being reckless" the armor sighed. "It couldn't be helped. You did kidnap me and his friends just to get him all the way over here!"

"Sorry" the chimeras said in unified shame.

Roy looked on in amazement at what unraveled. He had no desire to be around his captors any longer but their sudden sympathy made him wonder what other creatures lurked in this underground world. To him only the military existed, his feet striving to take him to the top. For the first time since he found Edward the man discovered another world.

"Who turned you into chimeras?" Roy blurted out in interest. If there was another force in this world as well he needed to know. After all, there was so much valuable information here that would give him the upper hand in the military.

"Heh, I'm surprised you don't know" answered Dochet. "It was some cursed military scientists who did this to us."

Hughes, Havoc, and Roy were astounded. A wicked smile spread on the Colonel's face. He wasn't sure if he'd rise or fall faster. This information was just too rich. Now if only he could find out what Iscariot had done to Edward. He knew that they had done something to him, something that Edward was told to keep silent about.

"Hmm I guess there's a portion of the military that isn't corrupted." said Roa. "After the war with Ishval I had given up on hoping for any good to come from them."

Taking a bold step forward the Colonel suggested "Give Greed a good review won't you. I know he might not be having much fun with my little subordinate but I'd like for us to be on good terms. Let's just say I'll do him a favor and I'll call him back some other time."

Dochet and Roa smiled at the Colonel's as the message sunk in. "Hmph. Just keep everything you've seen today between the lot of you. Watch yourself, soldier."

The canine chimera sniffled the air suddenly. A sour taste must've caught inside his throat because his face cringed in disgust. "Hey Roa. I smell someone familiar. Someone we outta avoid."

"Aww c'mon can't you guys just let us off the hook!" begged Havoc. "I have nothing to do with this. I already missed my date. I don't want to meet anyone except her."

"I smell the boss and the runt coming in this direction too. Shit, that other guy... he's with a hell lot of other men too."

A tremendous splash in the flowing water made everyone jump.

"When are you going to stay down you pipsqueak!" shouted Greed. The homunculus emerged from the distant darkness, pieces of him missing all over and scrambling to regenerate amonst red alchemic light. His ultimate shield covered more of his body but was disintegrated at places, falling like dust charcoal. Edward had apparently figured out how to get through his defenses. Speaking of which, the small alchemist stood up from the place he'd been thrown. His black jacket was no longer there and his shirt was ripped. His steel prosthetic was in full view now. Luckily his leg was still covered. His golden hair was a tangled mesh.

Roy wanted to scream at the idiot.

"Hey, the one named Dochet." Edward called out. Through heavy breathing he spoke. "You said you smell some rats upstairs, no? Does the main one smell like King Bradley to you?"

"King Bradley?" Martel shot out of Alphonse armor. "Is it him, Dochet? Do you recognize his smell from when we were in the military's labs?"

"It's him." he answered scornfully.

"Brother how do you know?" Alphonse asked what everyone was wondering.

"I've been close enough to the Fuhrer to recognize his energy. It's quite distinct." he confirmed.

Greed stared at the boy skeptically. "What do you mean his energy?"

"Like I said. I don't know why in the hell the president is here and I'd rather not have to deal with him. But anyways, yeah you have a unique energy of your own humunculus." Greed looked slightly worried at this mysterious claim. With his wounds finally sealed he stood up straight.

"I guess you know a little bit about the secret behind this body then."

"Somewhat. Oi, Mustang. I overheard you making some kind of truce with these people. I think I'll pitch in." Edward's eyes seem to say _I'll explain later_. Roy nodded in agreement. "Greed, I won't tell you how to transmutate a soul but I'll let you and your crew go scot free. You don't want to go against King Bradley, trust me." Slowly he added, "His energy is similar to yours."

The humunculus considered the offer with a frown. Roy wasn't sure what the boy meant but it had its affect on Greed.

"Alright, kid. I'll just have to give you a try some other time."

Martel finally allowed for Alphonse to move about freely while Roa and Dochet released the three soldiers from their bonds.

"Take care of your brother won't you shrimp?"

"Go gather up your gang before I change my mind you stupid humunculus."

Greed gave one last taunting shrug and scurried away, the three chimeras following close behind. Following suit, the rest of them hurried in the opposite direction.

"We need to get far enough so I can collapse the entire building and sewer from down here. I want as little evidence left as possible. I'm sure that some information will come around to the Fuhrer eventually." Explained Edward. Roy noticed the fatigue in his steps causing the boy to fall behind. His automail arm miraculously still moved despite the pieces missing that he no doubt lost while fighting Greed. Cuts burned red along his collarbone, making it look as if he had been wrapped in barbed wire.

Every drop of blood made him wonder what delusional hell could possibly be worse than this reality.


	12. Chapter 12

"What did I tell you about using private lines Hughes..."

"Ahhhhh don't be so cruel Roy. After all my baby's birthday is almost coming up!"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT'S COMING UP. DON'T USE THE MILITARY'S PRIVATE LINES FOR YOUR RANTING!"

"Hmph. Speak for yourself Colonel Mustang. Eh, I guess I'll stop pestering you." Before hanging up he added, "My wife really enjoys having tea at this one place. You should go sometime. Oooh I remember when Elicia first went ther- Shoot. He hung up on me."

* * *

"I'm so glad you showed up."

"This better be juicy, Hughes. I don't have much time to chit chat if I'm going to become Fuhrer any time soon."

"You should refrain yourself from such rash statements. Especially in public."

"Hmmm, you got a point. Anyways," Roy signaled Hughes to proceed with shake of his wrist as he sipped his coffee.

Where to start, the man thought to himself. Words needed to be said right or else Hughes could be faced with some severe company.

"I'm going to have to ask you to be completely honest with me Roy."

His friend placed down his mug. Already his eyes squinted at the request and his posture straightened. "That's never been an issue between us", he said before waiting for Hughes to continue.

"Since I'm already in the investigators department of the military I took the opportunity to look up Edwa-"

"Why would you do that?" Roy interrupted.

Hughes flashed his teeth. "You're giving yourself away already, Colonel." He felt guilty for this especially when the boy was currently in the hospital. "Anyways, a little incident in my apartment, at the frontier, and last night made me curious. So, what's his story again? Grew up on a small town on the countryside, home schooled. His father died from an accident out east during the rustling of the civil war and his mom had a few screws loose so she's locked up somewhere. Meanwhile the boy himself gets in a incident that leaves him without two limbs." He leaned forward. "That's at least what the records say. Interesting to know he has auto mail. Nice to see it first hand too." The sound of a bullet hitting steel played at the back of his mind accompanied by the sight of a broken arm dripping with sewer water. "Turns out he has a brother that's a suit of armor. Got anything to add? And what's all this about human transmutation and homunculi?"

"You have quite the nerve, don't you Hughes." He could almost hear his friend gritting his teeth together.

"Hardly."

Picking up his own cup of coffee Hughes eased back on his seat. Casually he watched pedestrians pass by outside on a rather sunny day. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Roy contemplating with himself. Dark eyes studied the rising steam from his mug. An extended exhale signaled the beginning of a confession.

"He's probably going to kill me for this but... hell, you're a dog with too good of a nose."

"I'm honestly hoping for some good news despite what my wits say," Hughes responded with twitching eyebrows.

"Hmph. Well, as a friend I ask you to keep everything confidential just as you have asked me to be honest."

"Fair enough."

"Edward... it's true he grew up in the countryside. Initially his family lived in a more populated part of Resembool, a small town in the east. They moved to a more remote area a couple of years after he was born..." He spoke much too slow with spaces in between. Hughes knew he was picking at the bits and pieces. "I did offer him the chance to become a state alchemist the day he lost his arm and le-"

"Hmm you're boring me Roy. Just spill it."

With a low growl vibrating in his throat he defensively spat, "His parents tried killing him."

Forgetting to keep up the detective persona, the man sat frozen by his friends reaction and was compelled even more by his words. Roy must've realized what came out of his mouth because he pushed himself back onto his seat with a quivering frustration and sense of protection. Nevertheless he willed himself to clarify the situation. "After Edward was born his parents figured something was wrong with him. The whole god forsaken town thought he was some sort of fucking anti-Christ. His parents had no choice but to hide and hope the trouble would pass. They didn't want him either." The Colonel closed his eyes respectfully, "With that mindset and their determination to stay loyal to the church they locked him away when they could. That boy was lucky to have been rescued that day before his parents mutilated one more part of him..."

"Are you seriously telling me that his own mother and father were planning on sacrificing him as some sort of repayment for bringing him into the world in the first place?" Elicia immediately appeared in his thoughts. Now he understood why Roy was acting this way. Still, there were some other questions.

"I admit I don't know exactly what they wanted to accomplish by killing Edward. That's as far as I've ever gotten on the subject. I do- I'm sure that he has experienced a lot more than neglect and physical abuse." Roy's grip tightened. "Edward personally asked me to leave it at that. He's only hinted that he managed to run away a couple of times over the years. While I was searching for him I learned just how delusional Resembool was. They're Christian extremist. They feared that child a hell lot more than the damn fairy tales written in their bibles."

"But...what about his alchemy?" The enthralling singing from that night in his study was a blur in his mind.

"I wondered about that too. I figured he could use it to escape but I noticed something from the times Edward's been in the hospital. Sedatives don't work on him. He must've been on heavy doses before. But his alchemy, that's actually a reason why people thought he was some sort of devil. I didn't lie when I said he learned from books. Ironically his father owned some very advanced alchemic texts. You see, his mother was somewhat merciful. When his dad wasn't around she would let the boy be. Between that and being a runaway Edward found a few people who were willing to teach him. But... he was just a child. How could he have possibly understood everything... He wasn't stable."

"What do you mean?"

"The kid's a genius now but back then... like I said. He wasn't stable. The abuse he experienced eventually took its toll. It was difficult to interact with the things around him. He didn't understand what lay outside the home he was kept in. He was raised to know himself as some kind of monstrosity. His intellectual gift gave him chances at an education even if it was from reading about alchemy. Religion didn't make sense to him so this science is all he had. And... as for chances of escaping...There's people who are willing to force a child back to hell in return for a fancy prize."

"And his brother?"

"Well, Alphonse hasn't revealed anything more than what we heard last night. He doesn't know anything more about the homunculus than the rest of us either."

"Look, Roy. You need to be careful with this. You need to get Edward to tell you everything, the whole truth. I'm sure there's something he's holding back. He's a good kid...but damn it he's hella suspicious."

Roy adverted his eyes. There was something in his face. Could it be shame? It was so similar to the shame he had seen on Edward's face.

"Roy, what's wrong?" Why did those two carry the same burdening emotions towards one another? "Did... something happen between you and Edward?"

Guilt, frustration, confusion, panic. Roy's body wasn't capable of hiding these emotions. This was a rare event, where the Colonel was finally pushed off his pedestal. A wall was rusting away, exposing a closet full of skeletons. Hughes felt a an unexpected anger against his friend. Edward was barely turning fifteen. He didn't matter if the teen was in the military. He became suddenly protective of the boy. "What did you do to him, Mustang?!" he demanded.

Solemnly the men gazed at the world outside. They watched what little beauty passed right before their eyes among walking shadows. These streets held a new battle. In the new rain they each saw just what took the innocence of a single heart.

* * *

"Papa! You're home!"

"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting honey."

Profound gratitude compelled the father to cling to his little girl. Elicia could not comprehend the reason why. All she knew is that she appreciated the gesture. Gracia wasn't in the slightest perplexed by her husband's behavior. He welcomed her into his arms.

Maes Hughes looked at his wife and daughter apologetically. Why they had to live among the ignorant little thorns that cut into one another, those who were incapable of advancing beyond the violent tendencies which were at one time necessary for survival, he simply did not have an answer to.

* * *

Edward always drank black coffee. The bitterness of the fluid reflected on the cup that sat on the table untouched. Auto mail fingers shook, clicking. They delivered a scorching cup of black liquid to pink flesh lips that quickly burned bright red. The hunger in golden eyes could never be completely subdued, a control never replenished. Sometimes the small frame would bent over and wretch the steaming brew. Nevertheless again another cup was consumed in an endless starving, deteriorating cycle.

He didn't bother saying hello to the white light. He didn't mind the hospital bed or his broken auto mail. Hunger was his new point of focus in this place of pain. The blood lust and ecstatic excitement that had taken over him during his encounter with the homunculus left some part of him yearning for more. There was no need to deny where these things came from. There wasn't a force more powerful than hunger to remind him that he wasn't human.

"What am I going to do now?" he moaned as he slammed down his empty cup.

Alphonse should've stayed away from him. Misfortune followed the older Elric everywhere, and his brother wasn't exempt from it. One particular problem bothered Edward. How was he suppose to explain that he lived with another soldier after what happened in Resembool? In addition to that, Edward must be on Hughes's list. He recognized that the man was smarter than he let on. He wasn't one to let incidents slip without knowing the entire truth. He was also someone who worked to help the Colonel achieve his goal, doing everything he could to accomplish that.

In walked in Roy Mustang and Maes Hughes, strangely out of their military uniform and in some dress pants, button up shirt, and vest. The formal dressing attire was heavy when combined with the distraught energy that circulated.

"Colonel..." Edward began to rise from his bed but the man came over and pushed him back down gently. The Colonel's silence caused a pain to spread through his chest.

"I just came from the office and from talking with Hughes. Hawkeye tells me that our little run in with Greed hasn't yet been discovered. I've managed to keep Havoc from leaking any information (I think he's traumatized). Then Hughes...He wanted to know more about you. "

Edward knew he had to start revealing the truth. He just wished it didn't have to be now or because he was being coerced by someone he didn't know he could fully trust.

"How much did you tell him?"

"He figured the military records on you were fabricated so I had to explain about your parents...but he started asking about your brother and your other connections." Roy took a hold of Edward's hands. "Those are things that I don't have the answer to and it raised a lot of suspicion from him. I need an explanation, Edward. There's so much you know that can really cause an impact."

Mindlessly he began to brush his left thumb across Roy's palm. His hands weren't rough as most people would expect from a soldier. The only blemish was on Roy's right fingers. Must be from writing all those reports. The man gave a reassuring squeeze. Should Roy really be this affectionate towards him? "I'm warning you now. Do you really want to know?" Edward cautioned.

Hughes inched away from him and Roy. The glare of his glasses prevented Edward from reading his expression. "I'm ready."

And so Edward began.

"Alchemist believe that the entire universe plays out by equivalent exchange. I learned a long time ago that that isn't so. My parents had planned by birth according to a series of complicated spells, rituals, and alchemy. In any religion the ultimate goal of the believer is to redeem themselves of all human sin, seemingly losing everything that makes them mortal. They want to transcend into a higher life form, become one with god in order to stop a cycle of birth and death. It is similar to alchemist and their search for this thing we refer to as truth. My parents research was incomprehensible to me. It seems that they thought they could become one, that they could despose of their sins by creating a life form which was made of those same sins. I was their vessel of evil. As long as you can store away evil then it couldn't infect then. Or so they thought. They soon changed their minds and decided they needed to destroy me. They learned that I possessed strange energies within me. Convinced that I was some sort of antichrist they concluded that if they destroyed me then they would conducting the ultimate action of salvation.

"Their first attempt was to drown me in a pond. Funny, how it feels like I can remember it clearly. My infant lungs ached with explosive pain but I was still alive. After that I guess they decided that my death had to be played out a specific way. Until they could find a way how they attempted to raise me, or more like erase what evil I was suppose to be. We moved away to Resembool's countryside because the entire town witnessed the same strange energies my parents did. My parents actions and my birth was blasphemous. They refused to let their dreams slip away. Again I became their vessel of evil where anyone was welcomed to throw their sin inside of. I was beaten. I was tortured. Nothing worked. It was stupidly ironic that my father called himself a man of god. That side of my bloodline could be traced back to some of the most powerful wiccans in existence. You're familiar with wiccans?" The question was addressed to no one in particular.

"I've dealt with some cases before. Witches aren't very popular, am I right? I mean, the church takes them for hazardous heretics, is all. Other people fear them." stated Hughes. Edward knew it wasn't difficult for the man to put the pieces together, and his presence grew more unnerving by the minute. He didn't dismiss the way the man stared at interlocked hands, pushing his nose up into the air as if to relay some sort of message. Auto mail could not feel the warmth of Roy's hand.

"Hmph. The church could think what they like but the magic we wiccans work is as real as alchemy. The only difference is that alchemy is called science." Edward knew he was being defensive. "The energies that were mistook for demons and whatnot were just the energy from my wiccan ancestors. They were very reactive within me and easy to tap.

"Alphonse is only a year younger than me. His birth was one that wasn't resented. I was often separated from him by my mother in order to keep him 'safe'. Unlike me he carries no wiccan blood because he purely carried my mother's genes. My father-" Should he tell them about Hohemheim? Not even he was certain of his father's identity. Lying to himself wouldn't change anything. What would Iscariot do if they found out who his father was?

"Edward." Onyx eyes begged honesty from the boy. The way Roy whispered his name...

"Xerxes."

"Huh?"

"Xerxes." Edward numbly repeated. "Xerxes."

Someone was going to die if they listened to him. He would send a prayer because he knew it wouldn't be answered. He didn't mind restraining the beast from within. He withdrew his hands from Roy's, refusing to say another word.

* * *

Discoveries shook in its glassy confinement with a rising fizz that alarmed Hughes. Uncertainly the mesh clashed with an impatient hand. Secrets roamed at every corner now. The small window he'd been looking though had expanded. He had to dare himself to enter.

"Roy, I'm going to work on finding out what Edward was hiding about his father. Xerxes is a familiar name but I can't quite put my finger on it. I think you should have a talk with his brother. We still don't know why or who forced them to commit the taboo."

Roy was quiet as they strolled around the hospital gardens. A bush of lilacs confirmed their third lap, newly fallen petals adding to the thick layer of withering flower. "Do you take his words as truth?" he finally asked.

"I don't think there's any reason for him to lie. Silence is what's keeping the entire truth from coming out." responded Hughes. "Ehhh, I'm not confident about the witchcraft though." On cue, the wind picked up the fallen lilacs and danced between his boots. A familiar song stole his attention, directing it to a single window opun hundreds on the medical facility that loomed over them. Squinting, he spotted the Fullmetal Alchemist glaring out at him.

With a scornful chuckle Roy said, "Ah, he's just teasing you. Witchcraft is definitely real, and I've seen him use it all the time. As superstitious as it sounds. I don't meddle with that business though."

"He can get in a lot of trouble for that, you know. Damn, we still have that homunculus to look out for too, and possibly the military. Chimera experiments on humans, huh." Then with second thoughts, "Hmmm. I wonder if Iscariot will pester that boy next."

A light pause. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

* * *

Humming, the boy practically skipped from puddle to puddle. Farther away he became from the noise. Stomach pierced him with a wordless pain. Hunger wouldn't content itself with the petty organisms he devoured. Content came with the silence that followed a well gutted sack of juicy flesh and a fulfilled appetite. Maybe something other than a human would cross paths with him. The rumbling inside reminded Edward of how frequently he had been starved by his Iscariot captors. They knew what hell awakened by the hunger of a ghoul.

Wiggling fingers intervened with the light of the stars. Upon a a ledge he sat, far away from the white hospital. His body was reacting to the exhaustion and damage he endured during his battle with the homunculus. Cells regenerated, his senses sharpened. Like a child he giggled with every whiff of aroma caught in his lungs from the fragile beings that passed by. Along with the unraveling of his body came the unravel of his mind.

A ravenous energy circled his body as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop. Droplets of water clung to this bubble in a beautiful spectacle of reflecting moonlight. He played with the liquid. With a gentle motion of his hand he commanded it to spread over the sleeping buildings and fall as a soft shower of snow. Edward didn't leave until every bit of white melted on asphalt. So Hughes doubted magic, huh? With ease he climbed down into an alley. Lucky for him, a drunken teen stumbled along.

A series of tongue tangled slurs scurried out the male's slacking jaw. He was an obscene view. Edward wondered if men like these came out purposefully at night to watch themselves be hacked apart. They would make all conscious escape him when he felt their warm insides. Already he could feel it, his eye pulsing at the thought of it. Goody joy, he twitched with excitement. A ripple from his tailbone gave way to his flourishing kagugne, seeping all light and shadow to red. He clawed his face, tugging at the line his lips made from ear to ear, his voice almost a squeal of pure delight. It had been so long since he's fed off the flesh of a human being...

"Oi, chibi stop stalling and do it already. I'm having much too much fun watching it to just let it slow down to a crawl."

The sensuality of the moment vaporized. Around the corner have came the sort of whine but aggressive command. It sung of summer playtime and night time murder. Sadistic, Edward thought. His kagugne began to disintegrate before it had fully crystallized.

"Awww did I ruin the moment? I guess it's not the same when there's a third party." Riza Hawkeye peered the dying excitement. Edward waited with raised eyebrows at the uninvited guest. "There's something intimate when it's only you," it pointed at the fainting teen," and the victim. Ah, I guess everyone has their own manner of handling the slaughterhouse. Tell me, do you like it messy?"

Hazel eyes revealed thousands of warping energies crying inside.

"Maybe I do like it messy," Edward retorted. "Just as chaotic as your insides. How many souls do you exactly have inside of you, homunlucus?"

The impostor froze for a moment. It closed its eyes. "I guess my disguise isn't good enough. It's not as good as yours. I've always wondered what the human child of a living blood stone would be like. Eh, the military has been playing a lot with you. There's no mistake that you carry the form of a ghoul. Was that another one of their experiments?"

 _Living blood stone._ It could only be referring to Edward's father, Van Hohenheim. This homunculus knew more than suited him.

In a second Edward delivered a punch to the jaw. They stood there equally dumbfound by the daring actions of a child and the unmoving weight of the much older creature. On impact Edward's automail fist had cracked dangerously. Exhaling a nervous chuckle he watched as red streaks of light fixated the bones of a jaw that had been broken just moments before.

"Fucking chi-"

With a swirling kick, a single slice tendons tore, disfiguring a perfectly slender neck and the humunculus's blood splattered all over Edward's face. "Didn't you asked me if I liked it messy?" Edward joked. Lifting his right foot he could see the stained knife that poked out of the sole of him boot. Again the red alchemic light reconstructed the muscle, flesh, and all the matter. What should've killed the _thing_ was just pissing it off. The face that snarled at him didn't fit the Lieutenants features. Edward's never seen her lose her composure before. Huh. Must be a shape shifting homunculus.

"You little smartass. I'll gladly cut your head off," the homunculus gurgled.

 _Zip_. Edward looked down to find his right thigh had been pierced through. The source of his fresh wound erected from the elongated spear-like finger of a rather sensuous woman. The mass of black hair shinned with the twilight. Confident, seductive eyes accompanied flirtatious lips and breasts.

"Envy, quit trying to destroy our precious candidate."

The shadows could not cover the ouroboros tattoo centered in her chest. No doubt it was the same Greed possessed on his hand. Surely the fake Lieutenant bore the same red design on its real flesh. Together the three homunculus equaled millions of souls. The mass amount of energy that radiated from them had made Greed impossible to miss. Edward's roaring excitement had caused him to fail to detect these two homunculus though. Who knows how long they had been following him.

"Your boyfriend should watch out where he leaves his little lover," mumbled Envy.

A paralyzing blow to the head made him black out.

* * *

"You were taking it too far, Envy."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I got to see what I wanted."

"Are you sure you have every detail?"

"Are you doubting me, Lust?"

Riza Hawkeye disappeared with a coursing white light and there appeared the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"This disguise isn't as cute as me."


	13. Chapter 13

Sleep was impossible. Fatigue was impossible. Hunger was impossible. Pain was impossible. Well, at least physically...

"Mehh, what should I do? I don't want to be rude and snoop around without permission, even if brother does live here," Alphonse told himself.

From the public he hid inside Colonel Mustang's home. Rather large for only two soldiers to live in. Edward was always going out of the city so why would he settle his things here? Not even with the witches had he completely resigned from running around. He didn't even think how angry they'd be if they knew Edward had become a state alchemist.

 _"Why!? Why are you going to join the military?"_

 _"If I want to get your body back I have to start somewhere."_

 _"But brother, men like them have hurt you! This isn't your fault. Dad made us do it!"_

 _"Things like that don't matter," his older brother whispered. "You matter, Al."_

Old sorrows washed over anew. In this suit of armor he was a burden to his brother. Edward had suffered enough, enough pain to let him know that this life wasn't fair. For the past years he had barely been able to reunite himself with Ed. His older brother seemed to tell him less and less about his journey as time passed. What dangerous things was he getting involved in...

Alphonse had no choice but to put all faith in his brother. Edward had worked too hard. He'd endured his automail surgery and so much more. Joining the military...How many times had Edward walked by one of his abusers? They all wore that blue inform but he's sure that his brother would never forget their faces.

 _Dad wasn't home and his mom had let a stranger inside the house. He wondered why those men were allowed to go to the basement where Edward was. They were fearful soldiers, everyone of them. He couldn't control his curiosity. One night he disobeyed his mother. He almost regret it._

Edward had only been seven.

 _The groaning of mattress springs repeated in a slow steady rhythm. This was the first time Alphonse had walked this far down the stairs. Usually the door to the basement cellar was locked shut. Tonight it was ajar barely half an inch. He wanted to know what the noises were. Closer he slid to the door. Something told him to run away. Something else told him to look._

 _Deep husky grunts came from the soldier. He had his eyes closed, his head hanging back. He was thrusting his hips aggressively. Alphonse couldn't see enough of the picture. He pushed the door just a little but the hinges had grown loose over time and it quietly swung open._

 _"Edward..."_

 _The tiny body laid in a tangle of covers. Short legs were forced open and in between stood the soldier. The horrible man pulled the naked boy closed to the edge of the bed, thrusting harder and harder into him. Edward was limp on the mattress. His eyes were barely open, staring up nowhere. His eyes were empty_

If this armor could cry, Alphonse would cry his brother a river.

"Excuse me Alphonse. Are you awake?"

"Oh! Yeah, I am. I can't sleep in this armor so I've just been sitting around."

"Oh. I see."

Al hadn't noticed the older man come home. Roy Mustang was quite handsome and young to be at the rank of colonel. His dark hair and eyes were very interesting to Alphonse. Ed had mentioned him mentioned him various times before in letters and before he set out to take the state alchemist test. Brother trusted him. Alphonse had to do the same.

"So you're the one who saved big brother?"

"Are you referring to the incident in Resembool, then yes."

"You're the same one who offered him to become a state alchemist then. Brother really appreciates what you've done."

Colonel Mustang gave him a crooked smile. "I want to apologize for any inconveniences I might have caused. Edward kept you a secret so I'm sure you two didn't get much time together even if you are brothers.

"Is it difficult for brother? Has the military given him trouble?"

"Uh, well, more like Edward has given them trouble," the Colonel awkwardly laughed. "He's always causing a ruckus while on missions. He's quite popular in some parts of the country."

"Is he happy here with you, I mean working with you?"

The question caught the man off guard. He didn't response right away. "He's found people he can trust here. That's something that's made him very happy. You seem concerned over his safety while around the military. Did you ever have a run in with soldiers when you were younger?" The Colonel had taken a wild guess, one that turned out to be right. Not in a way the man might think so though.

"Edward never told you about he soldiers that came to Resembool?"

"No. I know a little about your parents. That's most of anything he's ever really told me.

What soldiers are you talking about?"

Edward must be ashamed to tell anyone about what happened, Alphonse thought. He must be scared to retell such atrocities especially to another soldier.

"Never mind. I just want brother to come out of the hospital."

* * *

The woman softly cooed while her fingers traced along the white wall. She took no notice of Hughes. Airy breaths followed her pursed lips. From side to side she slowly swayed.

"Trisha Elric," called out Hughes.

The woman continued to sway, auburn hair swinging hypnotically. She looked bony underneath her white gown. She had startling gray eyes that never blinked.

Hughes had no idea what had driven him to come here. He should have been looking for an explanation behind the name Edward had last given him but instead he'd searched for the boy's mother. There was no doubt that she wasn't sane. The asylum that held her did it with reason.

How he should go about this, he had no idea. Surely there was nothing she could tell him.

"Trisha," he tried again. Nothing. More boldly he said "Edward Elric."

Like a wild animal she pounced on him, reaching out with her thin fingers. Hughes took hold of her tiny wrist and held her aback. He smiled coldly at the delirious woman. Her energy gave out fairly quick. All she did was stand there with a new and deadly spark in her eyes.

"Where is he?" Every syllable was spit out with determined emphasis. "You can't just leave him on his own. Oh, no never." Trisha's words grew into a whining hum. "No, no, no. Hmmmm, that would be bad." She now seemed childish, fidgeting with her white gown. She paused to look down at it and frowned as if she remembered she didn't like it. "Do you know my child? My husband never liked him. No one does. Hm, I mean who could when he was always screaming bloody murder."

The way she began to hop around her white cell made this first meeting feel like little girl tea time. "His hands would always be so dirty when he came back from a rampage. Who's going to wash off all that awful red now that I'm here. Hm?"

Hughes would just have to go along. "What rampage?" he asked.

The woman gawked at him. "Well, I thought everyone knew! I'd argue that he had a terrible temper. He's such a naughty child. You see, sir, he misbehaves and goes out to sin. Please be nice to him! He's quite nice if you're friendly. Don't mistake it though. Sometimes he'll shut you down for fun."

This would make for an interesting conversation with Roy.

* * *

 _For hours at a time he'd think of Edward. By now it was impossible for him to deny what he felt. The shame constricted around his heart everyday. Roy refused to acknowledge the fact that he was almost twice Fullmetal's age, or that he might be a pedophile for that same reason. The emotions that boiled in his body and mind where not of a sexual desire. No, physical affection was merely an expression of love, not the definition of it. His love for Edward was sincere, aching for an established connection. Roy wanted to love Edward and in return he wanted the boy to love him._

 _He needed to know if it was possible._

 _Sometimes Roy would stare at the boy's face when he thought he wasn't looking. Without warning those golden eyes rolled over to return his gaze. They would become half-lidded and a small smile formed on the boy's lips. Something would always steal Roy's attention. When he looked back Edward would be walking out the door. In his house he'd attempt to inch closer to Edward when they sat together on the library couch. Often in the middle of the night Roy would find him sitting on his bed cradling his automail leg. It was the little things that lured him in._

 _Nothing could stop it. Parents, automail limbs, witchcraft, Iscariot, death. Things that would've made any person steer clean of the boy did nothing to challenge Roy's love for him._

 _He remembered when Edward had taken him to Resembool. On that faithful day they walked and walked until they reached a small, sad house._

 _"This was the only world I knew when I was a fragile creature. I could cry until there was nothing left in me. I could've screamed and cursed to where my throat rebelled and ruptured. It made no difference. It went on with no sign that it might release me, and I knew that if it ever did relent...it would not be because it cared." Edward's voice was barely audible as he spoke his next words. "I had expected to die in this place. The day you saved me was the day I found a new world."_

 _Gloved fingers snapped together, and fire ignited. Its red fiery heat could not compare to any other fire that Roy had ever created. Together they stood, watching the house burn. Relief surged through every crevice in the land._

 _Edward looked on with peaceful eyes and smile. Roy had never seem him so calm before. Quietly the boy whispered, "Thank you."_

His face was the complete opposite now as he sat in front of the fireplace. Roy wasn't sure how to react to Edward's sudden appearance. It must've been close to midnight and it should've been Edward's second night in the hospital. Overhead loomed Alphonse, his huge suit of armor kneeling beside Edward's small figure. A sense of panic filled the armor.

"Colonel, please help brother!" Alphonse cried out.

Roy didn't understand what he was referring to. Then he noticed the way Edward was trembling. They boy hicupped lightly as if he was crying, and his right hand cupped over his right eye. From this view Roy could only partially see the left side of Edward's face. He began to walk towards him but Edward shouted, "Stay away!".

"Brother please, you need help!" With effort Alphonse detached his brother's hand from his face. The blond boy tried pulling himself away but with the movement caused him to turn in Roy's direction. The man chocked on his words. Edward looked up at him in fear, his right eye violently twitching. The iris was purely red, the rest of the eyeball pitch black. The veins protruded prominently from the skin around the eye socket. No matter which way he looked at it, he knew that eye wasn't human.

Quickly Roy knelt in front of Edward, taking his face in his large hands. Tears streamed down both a golden and red eye at the action. The boy remained frozen on the spot, eyes begging for forgiveness.

"Edward...what is this?"

"Colonel, look at his leg." advised Alphonse.

Black pants were torn and bloodied on Edward's right thigh. Immediately he scooped up the boy and gently placed him on the couch.

"Alphonse, help him take off his clothes. I'm going to get the first aid kit."

By the time Roy returned both his jacket, boots, and pants had been removed. Edward's boxers were bloody but there was no wound. Alphonse looked around, confirming that indeed there was no tear in the flesh. There was dried blood on the boy's face and hair. His automail arm looked more broken than before, looking skeletal-like with its incomplete fingers. Strangely the cuts on his collarbone were gone.

The next best thing he could do was give the boy a bath. Roy tried not to think much about it as he removed the boy's tank-top and boxers, wrapping a towel around his waist as he did so to cover his privates. Finally he led Edward to a tub filled with warm water. Without any resistance the boy allowed himself to lay down inside the tub, his knees slightly bent into himself despite all the extra space. The water took on a light red tint as Roy washed Edward' body.

Roy was grateful that the boy trusted his actions. He knew this wasn't a normal circumstance. There was a new intimacy in this. Gently he wiped away the blood from Edward's face, looking at his eye in fascination. The eye looked no different than before, pulsing. What more could add on this the stream of mysteries that kept sneaking up on Roy. Alphonse allowed them some privacy by sitting quietly in the hallway.

Edward had a well built body. Although he was slender and short every muscle was sculpted. His long hair looked shiny and puffy from all the water it had absorbed giving it a richer volume. Never had he seen this much of Edward's automail ports, his arm and leg. The steel clicked against the porcelain bathtub every now and then. Roy didn't know whether to wipe away the blood from his thigh or to let the boy do it on his own. A heat spread on his face as he hesitantly scrubbed the skin there with towel in hand. The muscles tensed up at the contact yet Edward wouldn't look at him.

They've kissed before. They've laid together in cold rainy nights, embracing each other with no sign of ever letting go. Every time Roy discovered something new about Edward things seemed to start a new. Once again he was getting to know the boy for something that was probably not human.

"Alphonse, I'm going to get him some clothes. Help him dry off."

Not wanting to be man handled any further, Edward abruptly stood up. Roy turned over at the sound of splashing water. A little too late he realized that he'd be naked. Luckily Edward had already wrapped a towel around his waist and was reaching out for another one. Indignantly the boy straightened his back as he dried his hair. The next thing Roy knew he had a damp towel over his head. From underneath the cloth he blinked stupidly and gaped at the boy who in return scowled and let out an angry "Hmph."

Uuuhhh...

Alphonse watched as his brother made his way out the bathroom and to his room, where he slammed the door closed. The armor looked at Roy for an explanation but the only thing that the man could manage was a shrug.

* * *

He must've been standing there for a long time. Fingers refused to enclose around the polished knob. Indecisiveness kept him back, the inky darkness pulling him into a daze. With almost no sound the door swung open. Edward still wore the same scowl.

"Idiot, I can hear your breathing even if I put a pillow over my head."

Again Roy blinked at him, which angered the little alchemist even more. Edward waved dismissively at him and laid back down on his bed. Roy entered the room, softly closing the door behind.

"Your eye is back to normal," he stated. Edward sat up, looking at him annoyingly.

"Are you going to bother me about it?"

"Isn't that what I always do?"

 _BAM_

"What the...hell..are you...doing?" chocked out Edward.

Roy had one hand around the boy's throat, squeezing the air pipe until he couldn't utter another word. The way Edward's head hit the bed stand surely would've hurt. Roy watched as the golden eye once again became hungry.

That's the only way he could describe it.

Edward had fought someone after he left the hospital. That much Roy was sure of. There was a crack along the automail fist that wasn't there before. The torn clothes and blood confirmed that he had been attacked and injured even if at the moment there was no trace left on the boy's leg. Whatever was happening to Edward's body must be triggered by pain. There was something else that aroused this part of Ed too.

Roy let go and backed away but Edward viciously pulled him back by the shirt. His lips parted. The teen panted heavily, his eyes falling on Roy's exposed neck. Slowly, his mouth opened.

"SHIT!"

The boy fiercely pushed the man back. With a sickening crunch Edward bit into his own left hand. Harder and harder he bit down. Blood streamed down his entire arm, staining the bed sheets.

"Edward!" Realizing his mistake, Roy threw himself on top of the boy, pinning both short arms on the bed.

"Do you want me to kill you, idiot?!" growled Edward. "Get the hell off me."

Instead, Roy kissed him.

He forced his tongue inside Ed's mouth, kissing him passionately. He didn't part his lips away, just continued to hungrily kiss the boy.

That's right. Edward was hungry.

Now it was Edward's turn to blink stupidly at Roy. A fluctuating feverish heat consumed them both. Roy wanted to keep asking questions but they all caught up in his throat.

The inhumane features disappeared from Edward's right eye. The pool of gold again asked for forgiveness.


	14. Chapter 14

Destruction was such a beautiful phenomena in this world. It did away with paradise, it crawled inside the mind. The body was a victim of life and death. There were so many things that one could do to this material world, but what was a soul? The state of mind that humans called emotions, what were they really? Born with the need to survive, to gain it all, these creatures swarmed over one another faster and faster.

Edward was not human by biological means. He was only human for what lurked beneath the surface. The human consciousness was the only to rank thoughts, emotions, and actions from good to bad, yet they were the only animal that killed simply to kill. Pleasure in death, rejoice at the sight of violence, the want to kill. This is what made humans to monsters, or so they all thought. Edward was a monster for having committed every possible sin. The blood that flowed through his veins, the powers that had been bestowed on him; that appeared to make him inhuman.

But these were things that were part of humanity. None of the creatures could escape any of it. It is what made them human after all. These feelings could be felt by no one else.

By that definition, Edward was the most human of all.

He had savored every drop of blood. He'd exploded with delight when Roy kissed him. Bliss flowed right through him. He couldn't bring himself to rid of the guilt though, the guilt of allowing Roy to fall in love with him. Tonight Edward had almost killed someone. Roy would've been deeply disappointed if he knew.

At the moment, what he hadn't prepared for was Al.

"Edward... what the hell is going on!"

Edward scrambled to escape from underneath Roy who rushed to the front of the bed defensively. How much had Alphonse seen?

"Brother get away from him!" the armor yelled.

How could his little brother understand? No, he couldn't possibly understand. No way in hell was Edward going to tell his brother that he had fallen in love with another man- an older man.

A soldier.

"You dirty bastard! He's half your age! How could you do this? You're-"

 _"Disgusting."_

 _"Honey, just let him be already. Even he's had a long day."_

 _"No, Trisha. This boy is disgusting. Look at the filth he takes in from all these men."_

"Brother, what are you doing, get off that bed! Get away from this-"

"Get out of here, Alphonse," demanded Edward.

"What? Am I suppose to leave you here with him?"

"I said get out."

"No I'm not leaving. Don't you see, the Colonel is taking advantage of you like all those other soldiers back home-"

"Shut...up..."

"He's exactly like them!"

"SHUT UP!"

Every item aboard a piece of furniture slammed into the suit of armor. Books fluttered, their pages tearing from their binding. Candles littered the floor, the gooey wax hardening. An entire lamp slammed into the armor knocking him over. The door shut with an invisible quivering force. Edward couldn't inhale another breath until he heard the sound of footsteps retreating down the hallway outside.

 _"He's exactly like them."_

Roy was no where near those sex crazed rats. Being a soldier didn't mean he was the same. He wasn't like them. No one could ever compare to Roy. Edward wasn't a dog, not even if the military called him so.

He was not Roy's dog either.

Even if Edward had spent the majority of his life shackled like one. Spit on like one. Expected to rot like one.

"Now I understand what your brother was asking."

"What-what are you talking about?"

"The first night he was here he was asking me if you were happy. Happy with the military. More specifically, he wanted to know if you were happy with me."

Had Alphonse already guessed that something existed between Edward and the Colonel? Edward had always been suprised that no one blinked an eye when he had moved in with his superior. Then again, no one knew what had happened. How did Roy feel now, knowing that Ed had been- had been taken advantage of?

He was afraid to be laughed at after the things he survived. This detail didn't fit in with his pride. But it fit with every other detail of the pain that had came wave after wave throughout his life.

Roy returned to the bed, taking a seat alongside Edward with caution. "Your brother is looking out for you. That's all. Anyway, I can only expect to be called a pervert for obvious reasons," Roy said with a sign. "It was rude of you to throw everything around like that," he continued teasingly. "Go apologize for being a reckless." He leaned in for a gently kiss to Edward's forehead. Finally Roy added, "My answers can wait."

The Elric sat there for a few moments. How-Did Roy dismiss everything he had heard?

"Neither of us can help our past, and I won't think any less of you for yours."

Edward wanted to relive that phrase one more time, enough times for a peaceful flame to consume him, letting him lay without a single sound, without a fear.

Alphonse got the best of him, or else Edward would've slapped his damn Colonel then and there. He wasn't sure how to take Roy's actions. Despite the battle with Greed and Alphonse's appearance, Roy still has faith in him. He didn't understand why. Edward had kept his identity a secret for so long. Surely Roy wasn't that much of an idiot to not realize that Edward knew something about the homunculi or that his abilities in witchcraft and alchemy were beyond what they appeared to be. Being put under Iscariot's jurisdiction must've made the idiot question something. To make matters worse, Edward was going to have to explain that he was a ghoul. Then there was that matter of the chimeras, the military experiments, and the possibility that the Fuhrer was a homonculus like Greed. Then there were the other two homunculus he met tonight.

Edward remembered the way he had been knocked out. In the black void of his mind he had drifted for a while, thinking over what would've been if the homuculus wouldn't have shown up before Ed had taken a bite of the drunk teen. No ones ever seen his inner ghoul, much less his kagugne, without dying. When he had woken up from the nothingness the hole in his leg had already healed. His eye hand't cooperated.

One thing at a time, damn it.

Edward knew that Roy wanted to do everything to protect those close to him. But that still didn't explain why he was tolerating all of this despite the trouble he could get himself in. Roy had brought literal hell in Ishval by conducting mass genocide with the alchemy that was suppose to help society. A subordinate protects their subordinate, and so on. That should be possible for puny humans like us. Edward remembered that phrase from long ago when Roy told tales of horrors. These ideals were indeed naive. They could be the same ideals that kept Roy watching Edward's back though. Edward must be the newest of the Colonel's responsibilities, one that the older man had willingly chosen to take on. The mysteries that kept on resolving weren't compromising that will. Such tenacity had caught Ed's attention.

Is this what it is to act out of love?

He was about to run after his brother but at the bedroom door he stopped. Edward faced the human that he had dared to love and said, "Thank you."

* * *

Alphonse couldn't believe what he'd witnessed. The past crawled up on him and it made him choke. Not having a body didn't mean that his mind could not take on the scaring lacerations.

It was true, his older brother had been raped. He'd been abused. The monstrosity that humanity was manifested itself on Edward's suffering. Alphonse could barely mask his hate for the military. He was cynical around them, the soldiers who seemed to be everywhere. Deep inside he tried rejecting the fact that it had happened more than once.

"Al."

Alphonse wasn't sure how to confront his brother. He feared to find that the same nightmare had been repeating itself in this house as well.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know what you saw looked wrong, but let me explain. Please."

The suit of armor continued to sit in front of the fireplace.

"This isn't like back then. The Colonel has done nothing but protect me. He's kept everything a secret. He's allowed me to searh for a way to get our bodies back-"

Al whipped around. "And to repay him, he uses your body! Is that what is it?! In exchange for all of this-"

"Alphonse." The tenderness of Edward's voice broke through Alphonse's rage. The armor was dumbfounded by the tone. His brother sounded... so content with himself.

"The love between me and the Colonel is sincere," brother continued as he shoved his hands in his pant pockets. A pink blush brightened up his cheeks. "He's never taken advantage of me, not that way. I willingly chose to be with him. And I like it."

The red lights in Alphonse helmet must've been pretty wide because Edward playfully sneered, "What?"

Oh, Brother. "Nothing," he laughed back.

"Ahhh, I'm going to punch in your helm if you keep giving me that look."

The younger brother allowed himself a good-hearted laugh. He was so relieved and surprised by Ed's behavior. For once he acted his age, a teenage boy trying to find a girlfriend. Er, boyfriend in this case.

"Brother, how old is the Colonel?"

Reluctantly, Ed mumbled, "Twenty-nine."

"Twenty-nine! Wha-that's-he's-"

"You're making me feel old, Alphonse Elric." The Colonel was descending down the spiraling stairs and into the library. He wore an apologetic smile on his face. Alphonse studied him closely. Although the young Elric wasn't as good as reading people's energy like his older brother was, he came to a solid conclusion fairly quickly. It was so easy for Al to believe in the kindness of others, whether he knew them or not.

"Our relationship may not have the best first impression but I asure you that I'm not in it to harm your brother. I honestly do love him. Please don't let gender or age be the only thing that you judge us on."

"Does anyone else know about this? I mean, Edward does live with you," wondered Al.

At this question, the Colonel wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders. "We've been careful to keep it a secret due to the consequences. We would both definitely loose our positions as state alchemist and be faced with punishment from the church for adultery," explained the Colonel. Edward looked so small beside him. He also looked safe.

Edward lightly put a hand on the arm wrapped around him. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this, Al."

"No, brother. It's alright. I can't possibly deny you this." And that was the truth. When Alphonse had a body of flesh and bone he'd barely gotten the opportunity to hug his brother. No one ever embraced Edward that way but him. Now he had someone else to receive affection from, affection from someone his brother truly wanted to be with. Alphonse couldn't help the anxiety he felt. All his life he'd accepted things so easily. None of those things had ever been like this though.

* * *

 _Alphonse had been away from home a lot. His parents had sent him on "vacations" frequently when they were the most distressed. Little Al had asked why big brother could not come with him._

 _"You're going on vacation to get away from him, not to go with him."_

 _Mom and Dad spoke to him gently. Although Dad was gone regularly he had never raised his voice at Al. For the majority of his childhood, Mom was an angel. He thought she was the most beautiful person in the world and nothing could replace her kindness. One night at a time, Alphonse became lonely and distant from Edward. He didn't like that his brother slept all by himself in the basement. Wasn't that basement cold? And how come whenever Dad went down there he'd come back angry?_

 _As a toddler, Alphonse couldn't build up the courage to approach Edward. Back then he didn't even know his name. His parents never talked about the golden boy that lived with them. The bright pile of hair poked out from wherever Ed was hiding. He'd sit very still. Al would run away whenever the gold did move. That was when he was really little though. Eventually Edward would disappear more frequently to the basement. Memories were hazy._

 _When Al was a little older, at school the teacher had once asked if he had siblings. During recess Alphonse would always draw pictures of his family. He had decided that the golden boy was part of his family even if they didn't talk too much. He would always draw Ed by himself in the corner because that's where he always was._

 _"I have one brother."_

 _"Why do you draw him right there? Families love each other. No one needs to be alone," the teacher advised. "What's his name?"_

 _"I don't know."_

 _Teacher didn't look happy. "Does he go to school somewhere else?"_

 _"He stays at home in the basement."_

 _After that, Alphonse's parents home schooled him._

 _Having Mom and Dad teach him wasn't so bad. Mom would always smile whenever he got something right. She said he was extremely intelligent and would make her very proud. It wasn't long before he was already learning alchemy from Dad. He was a little more stern but tolerable. Alchemy meant being part of something more important. Alphonse was quite honest with himself, the teachings of the church and God didn't exactly make sense to him. Alchemy... it explained the flow of life in the entire world._

 _Those fragments in time must've been an insult to his brother's hell._

 _Dad was gone again and probably won't be back in a week. Alphonse was probably five years old. He'd rarely see the golden boy in the kitchen when he ate_ _breakfast anymore. Even when he did eat with him he didn't make a sound. The boy was never kneeling beside him with Mom when they prayed. Mom said he had to do that by himself if God were to ever grant him any mercy. Al didn't really understand why; he'd say, "OK."_

 _Today was different. Mom had opened the basement door. The golden boy moved a lot more than usual. Here and there he walked, stretching his skinny limbs. He was looking through Dad's books too. Alphonse didn't think he could read since the boy didn't go to school. Nevertheless, the boy flipped through the pages. His eyes were a beautiful color, even if they weren't gray like Mom's and his eyes did dart away from the sunlight._

 _Alphonse once found him behind the couch drawing some alchemic symbols on the floor._

 _"Does Dad ever teach you alchemy?" Al asked._

 _The golden boy had gone still. His eyes studied Alphonse, then looked beyond him. Alphonse turned around to find Mom standing at the living room entrance._

 _"Do you wana play with me?"_

 _"..."_

 _"What's your name?"_

 _This time Alphonse could hear Mom stop breathing._

 _"You're my brother, right? Brothers play together. Lets play!"_

 _After a little while Mom said, "Edward Elric. That's his name."_

 _And so, for the first time in his life, Alphonse played with Edward. They ran around the house, chasing one another, throwing paper balls. When Al sat down to rest he couldn't believe how much energy his big brother had. Ed's laugh was funny to Alphonse, especially when he laughed really hard. It would echo so loudly and all the things around him would vibrate. Edward didn't really talk yet. All he did was laugh, a sound so strange in this house. Mom still kept watching them. She looked happy and sad at the same time so Al would go and hug her every once in a while. All she did was whisper prayers to herself._

 _It was like that for a really long time. While Dad wasn't home Edward would come upstairs to spend time with Alphonse._

 _"Are they nice to you?"_

 _Those were the first words that he'd ever heard from Edward._

 _"Mom and Dad?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"They're always nice. Are they mean to you?"_

 _"They never wanted me."_

 _Alphonse never responded to that. Ed seemed angry now. His hands were made into tight fists. He was mumbling something under his breath._

 _"Huh? Are you saying some-"_

 _There was a sharp crack. Alphonse looked around for what had broken. A picture frame had been knocked down from its place on the wall._

 _"What was that?" Mom asked as she rushed in. She looked so scared._

 _"The picture fell from the wall, Mom."_

 _She knelled down to clean up the pieces of glass but there was a pounding on the floor._

 _. ._

 _The floor where the picture frame had fallen on moved as if something was pounding into it from underneath. The pounding became harder and louder, the wood splintering. The frame and shattered glass bounced from the powerful pounding. Mom ran towards Alphonse and cradled him to her chest. Al was terrified now._

 _"Edward, please stop that. Please," his Mom begged._

 _How could Edward be doing that? He was standing over there..._

 _The house went still. Suddenly his brother screamed and screamed, the rage of some writhing animal, until he finally started running, running to find an exit, running to the front door which somehow opened by itself, running to the outside._

 _Days and nights passed. Edward still wasn't back home. Alphonse wondered if his brother should return. Mom was really upset. She'd probably just put him in the basement again but Alphonse worried for him. He'd never seen his brother go anywhere outside the house before._

 _When Edward finally did come back, he was dragged through the mud and stones by Dad._

 _"My god! Hohemheim, I'm so sorry. He just ran away-he-he," Mom desperately stuttered. "Please forgive me!"_

 _"Silence yourself woman! Help me get this thing downstairs!" he roared._

 _Thing wasn't what you called a son, right? Alphonse asked himself. Together Mom and Dad dragged Edward's body down to the basement. His head smacked down on every step. The tiny body wouldn't move. Alphonse whimpered at the sight, tears streaming down his cheeks. Why were they hurting brother? Dad dragged Ed by the foot as if too disgusted to touch him any further. Brother's body was drenched in blood. Why was there so much blood!?_

 _The basement was tiny compared to any other room in the house. It was pitch black until Mom turned on some candles that she set on the floor. Her hand shook insanely when she lit them, tears also coating her beautiful face. Dad kept yelling at her, and she was so scared._

 _Edward finally awoke from his slumber. Dad had already tied one of his arms onto the bed but he flailed like there was nothing more important in the world. His screams were heartbreaking to Al. He'd never heard such pain ever in his life. He cringed violently when Dad swing his fist across brother's face. That did nothing to quiet Edward though. The boy hissed and trashed._

 _Why am I just standing here, Alphonse thought to himself._

 _"Trisha, get over here!" Dad ordered._

 _Alphonse couldn't take it any longer. It didn't matter how hard he pressed his hands against his ears. The muffled sounds came through. They were still deafening. His eyes wouldn't close. Wide open they forced him to look at the carnage that his family was capable of. Mom didn't look so beautiful in the guilt and fear that made her cry. Dad wasn't a father at all, but an instrument of suffering. Edward wasn't the quiet golden boy anymore. He was fiery red, and he was hurt. The might he held at this very moment made him powerful and dangerous._

 _It was like this almost every night for what could've been the rest of their lives._

 _Alphonse was never allowed to go downstairs. Not ever again. But he still did despite the agony._

 _"I'm sorry. You don't deserve to be here."_

 _Edward blankly stared at him, wiggling his chains a bit. The skin around the wrist was raw._

 _"Here, eat this. Mom and Dad don't know I'm down here with you or that I took the extra food." Spoon after spoon, swallow after swallow. "How do you move stuff around without touching it? It's not part of any alchemy I've ever read about," Alphonse asked. This was genuine curiosity, not anything meant to offend his older brother. "Dad keeps saying it's black magic, the Devil and all this other nonsense."_

 _"Nothing special really. You don't believe what they say about me then?"_

 _"Why would I when I see what they do to you. This isn't fair. Where's the equivalent exchange. You don't get anything in return."_

 _"Well, that rule isn't necessarily true you know."_

 _"Of course it is. You have to sacrifice something in order to gain something else. That's the main rule of alchemy and the world."_

 _"With something as materialistic as stone yeah. I don't think this is on the same scale. Anyways, it doesn't matter if you're here, right? At the end of everyday I do get something. I get to talk to you. Now give me some more food. I'm starving."_

 _That's how the days were._

 _Another time, Alphonse asked why brother was always covered in red when Dad brought him back home._

 _"Outsiders give me trouble all the time. They're like Mom and Dad, real violent and nasty. I just have to put up one hell of a fight to stay alive," answered Edward. Alphonse wasn't entirely sure what he meant but he didn't ask again. He especially willed himself not to ask when Dad dug six feet deep holes in the backyard and buried the dead._

 _"When the Devil's is at your heels it's a miracle to make it out alive," his Dad used to say. His breathing became more labored with every shovel of dirt. "It's even more of a miracle if he were to die himself."_

 _He wished he didn't have to lay in bed as Dad beat his brother over and over and over and over... Parents were suppose to protect their children and in return a child would respect and love them. This was nothing like Mom has taught him. Why would God allow for his brother to suffer? The cycle was cruel. The cycle was relentless. It somehow became a routine. Brother would always manage to run away, and Dad always found him. Mom would clean up the bloody mess, on hands and knees wiping the floor from something that couldn't be erased. She would cry. Cry some more, cry some less. After a couple of years, she wouldn't at all. She'd sometimes try calming down her husband with soothing voices but nothing dispelled his rage._

 _For a couple of years, Alphonse did nothing except watch. His understanding of the situation never changed either. Even after his brother was raped by those soldiers. Even after the entire town had set themselves out to hunt down his brother. Even after he was sure his parents were delirious as they dedicated their body and soul to the invisible being they called out to as God. No matter how many times the cycle repeated, Alphonse did nothing. He was a shadow in the background of an insane world. All the things he knew as a child he threw away. Strange things always occurred in this home. He stopped trying to question it. He'd become the microscopic flare of compassion for Edward._

* * *

Edward wasn't happy about going back to the hospital especially in the middle of the night after some embarrassment. The ride there had finally allowed for his mind to recollect.

He felt like an idiot for retreating into himself while Roy had tried tending to his wounds -which he didn't find. Getting stripped to his boxers by Alphonse hadn't been nice either. Edward never liked being treated like an incapacitated vegetable. Only after Mustang had finished bathing him did the boy realize how undignified and silly he felt. He wasn't going to keep up the distressed princess act.

That didn't change the fact that he had been terrified when he was at Roy's doorstep and his eye was still pulsing. He knew he couldn't stay on the street unless he desired to be tempted to eat the next passerby. Or run into more unreasonable humunculi.

The shape-shifting homunculus had been the ugliest reminder of what it meant to be a ghoul. That's what he had settled on calling it. Ever since he had become a dog of the military Edward had suppressed his kagugne. His eye sometimes slipped his control but never in front of an audience. When he was alone he felt that the fact that he was a ghoul was no biggie. That's how he thought about it. In his head he told himself, "A ghoul is a creature who feeds off the flesh of human beings. We're only a little bit dangerous because of our ability to regenerate and our kagunes, a bundle of cells that act as a weapon. It's not any different from the human beings that kill each other with their own weapons." He wasn't really a monster inside his own head.

To the rest of the world he was.

But he didn't mind, he guessed. He knew that he wasn't wrong because what can be wrong in this cruel twisted world? And he knew he thought about this with a lunatic smile, protecting the small part of him that could ever afford to be sympathetic. Agh! He didn't mean to associate with the concept of _small_.

"You owe me an explanation, you know."

Roy offered a joking smirk, probably remembering the first time he ever said those words to his subordinate. At least Ed remembered.

The older man definitely drove as smoothly as he smirked. With unbelievable gentleness he'd managed to guide the older Elric brother into his car after their confrontation with Al. Edward had whined that he didn't have to go back to the hospital, that the nurses wouldn't miss him, but Roy had insisted that he couldn't get them in more trouble. If anything the nurses were lovely. Just when the words made him feel like a burden, the Flame Alchemist peeked him on the cheek with a warm kiss. For the rest of the time until now the golden haired boy blushed quietly in the passenger seat.

He didn't want to give an explanation. That's something that everyone seemed to request from him nowadays. Edward much preferred the quietness that had rolled down on him and Roy as he had scrubbed the boy's bloodied body in the bathtub. It was a quietness that spoke volumes of trust. Underneath Edward's panic over his ghoul eye being exposed, he was very much aware of his naked body, of Roy's shy motions when washing him. Roy studied him with an awe that didn't overlap with horrifying amazement. It was an awe over...over something. That awe intensified when Roy wiped at Ed's face. Had he not been intimidated by his inhuman eye?

That was one more thing that made being a ghoul more bearable. The way in which Roy still kissed him on his bed despite almost having his throat torn out by Edward's teeth. That had been enough to dispel the hungry eye away.

There had been a million other times that Edward hadn't been rewarded with affection. Instead he had been punished for showing that eye.

 _"Give yourself a good look in the mirror boy."_

 _A fist struck him across the face._

 _"Don't snarl your teeth at me dog."_

 _A hand gripped his hair._

 _"They shouldn't call you a dog, am I right? Parasite might be better."_

"I promise to tell you once I'm out of that dreary hospital, Colonel," Ed muttered. He honestly wished that for once in his life he could live in one place, in one paradise. Maybe that way his sanity wouldn't waver constantly from being thrown into chaos by the spinning wiccan and alchemic energy inside him, and the physical pain that surpassed the boundaries of human suffering. His thoughts acted the same, focused on his past rather than his present, the ups and downs of Edward Elric.

Right now his thoughts were infested by his vacation with Iscariot.

He could never really shake off the feeling of being shackled. He had been shackled in the basement of his parents house a a child. He was shackled again by new hands in a white room that managed to turn purely black when the lights went off. When his abusers came the lights were always on. When they were done bothering for the day they would turn them off every night- at least what Edward assumed was night- and left him to wonder what a wounded animal looked like.

To say he was bothered was an understatement. He only put it that way to again protect his fragile mind. That was exactly why Edward never made an effort to remember the faces of those that had visited the white room, tortured him day after day in the chair he was bound to. In his memory Edward only saw hands, faint silhouettes, and his own blood.

In his personal hell he thought often of Roy Mustang. No matter how low he'd been beaten, the thought of the Colonel put a smile on his face.

Even if Ed didn't expect to ever see him again.

A couple of times he wondered if Roy had consented to any of this, that he had been the one to sign some document and give Iscariot permission to violate him.

Then Edward remembered the way in which Roy had shook with rage when they had escorted him away from Central headquarters. Away from their newly found love.

And so for the months Edward suffered, he didn't mind being broken. He didn't mind that his mind was so penetrated by the physical pain that at some point he enjoyed it. He didn't even know when he had started to laugh at his abusers for trying to damn hard to hurt him. Everything they did hurt, but at the same time it didn't.

Hadn't it all felt the same when his parents did it too? Edward was pretty sure that even before that his state of mind of questionable along with the meaning of his life. Hohemheim had attempted to drown him several times. That hadn't worked despite the reality that Edward had been a mere toddler back then. Yep, that should be enough to make anyone want to get rid of him.

He also knew how sadistic he was.

All those times Edward had ran away from home he had hunted. He hand't hesitated to kill. His inner ghoul screamed out in agony from being neglected. In his fervent hunger, Edward had slaughtered and devoured his prey. Some had been men, others women. In some cases, children his own age. Nothing stopped him from the blinding delight of taking a life, from seeing the substance that flowed through all their veins.

He didn't deny that he sometimes hand't killed for his bodily needs, but simply to do it. Hell, he barely knew that his bodily needs weren't normal. He remembered the way Alphonse so _casually_ ate his cereal in the mornings when he was little. Young Edward Elric quickly learned that his little brother wasn't like him.

Maybe people weren't completely wrong about Ed. Maybe he was some devil in disguised, readying to destroy humanity. He sure felt that way. He surely hadn't died when he was suppose to from some deadly wound like anyone else would. No one else he knew had so much wiccan power either. He had a nagging suspicion that his ability to draw energy from within himself and the world wasn't just magic or alchemy. It was something else altogether. He only called it those two things because it seemed rational. None of it explained why he'd been born as a ghoul, or as a creature that simply wouldn't die. It didn't explain how he knew so much about any of those subjects either. It was true, he felt like somewhere deep inside he held the secrets of the world, but what little part of him that made him mortal deprived him from that truth like the rest of humanity.

 _He wasn't the only one that had that same suspicion. That same person had walked into his white walled hell one day as he was laying on the floor rotting away. He didn't think much of the footsteps he heard at first. Iscariot had so many different members that they never really repeated their visits._

 _The clicking heels on the floor was the first sign that something had changed. Edward was sure that no one wore even half an inch of heel in Iscariot. They all wore they flat polished shoes like the saints they were. Edward let out a harsh snort at the thought. He noted that the lights were on. Oh how they reminded him of the hospital._

 _"Is that how you're going to greet me, Edward Elric? With a pig's snort?"_

 _No one had called him by his name in a really, really long time._

 _His usual chair was gone, so Edward rolled around from whatever space he was on the floor to meet the person who had addressed him. The chains that kept him bound to the ground clicked._

 _The heavy accent continued. "That's still not good enough you midget. Stand up straight when I'm talking to you."_

 _He barely registered the insult of his height as he shot straight off the ground. Why the hell was he standing up for? To get whipped across the face?_

 _Or maybe it was because he hadn't heard anyone say his name since he got to this god forsaken place._

 _"Hmm. I don't see what the problem is. I was told you had issues with your appetite. What is it they called you? A ghoul?"_

 _Alright, she was stating the obvious._

 _"They said I had to use special sedatives from keeping you from going on some feeding frenzy."_

 _Was he really that much of a danger in the eyes of the stupid church? Wait, who the hell was she?_

 _"My concern is your magic, or whatever the hell those morons call it."_

 _What the hell was this woman doing here!? Why was he even hearing this absurd conversation? He already knew why he was here._

 _Did he?_

 _"Edward Elric, I have full jurisdiction over you from now on until i see fit. Under my eye, you can either prove your self-control and loyalty, or be left again to whatever the rest of Iscariot would like."_

 _Did he have this conversation before?_

 _"Sir Integra Hellsing, but I want you to refer to me as master."_

 _"Yes, master."_

"I love you."

Those three words yanked Edward from his consuming memory that threaten to rewind and play over and over and over...

"I love you too."

He finally turned to look into onyx eyes. The car continued its journey to the hospital while to Ed those black eyes fixed him into time.


	15. Chapter 15

Roy didn't want to believe his friend's words. They were only a theory, yes, but enough to question what he thought he really knew.

"Are you sure all these records are correct?" he asked as he shuffled over and over through the case files that scattered across his desk.

"I'm sure. They're all originated from the Resembool police department from the years that Edward lived there until he joined the military," insisted Hughes.

Every case file reveled the images of mutilated bodies. One tragedy after the next. Men and women torn to shreds, dismembered, skin ripped away. The list wouldn't end. It was a senseless massacre.

"I'm telling you, Roy. I found Trisha Elric in Central's asylum with little security. When I so uttered Edward's name she kept rambling on and on about how he went on these 'rampages' and 'misbehaved'. She talked about herself cleaning up after Edward's 'mess' and whatnot. She was definitely talking about a killing spree. When I looked into Resembool's crime history I found all of this. Over fifty people found dead, each as bloody as the one before. The years of these murders start at when Edward was about five years old and they abruptly stopped when he was eleven."

"When I was in charge of finding and recruiting Fullmetal I looked through every piece of information I could obtain about his hometown. Why didn't I find this?"

The glare on Hughes's glasses unnerved Roy. "I looked into the check out history as Central library for these records. Last person to check them out was a member of Iscariot."

There it was again. Iscariot was always at Ed's heels. Had they seen a connection between the murders and Edward too? If they did, then that meant...

The chair he had been sitting on struck the back wall. "Hey, Roy sit down." No. No, Edward couldn't have been responsible for all these deaths. But-but Roy had seen the hunger in that inhuman eye, and the way Edward had tried to calm it down by biting his own flesh. The Colonel held photographic proof in his hands of people killed by some animal, for gods sake. Iscariot knew about this, that's why they've taken Edward. He was still allowed to be in the military despite the possibility. There was only one reason they would've let Edward stay a dog of the military.

"Hughes... They engaged him in Retribution."

Hughes looked sorry for him. "That's the only government punishment that would let anyone get away with a massacre like this," Hughes truly sounded sorry. "A child like him is still capable of psychopathic intentions. What I'm afraid of is what is going through his head right now."

* * *

Edward Elric never ceased to appall him. Hughes felt his hands shake when he had given Roy those case files. They felt heavy in his hand, a black book of evil deeds that threatened to reroute his path. The vision of a child prodigy dismantled. The pieces left were poisoned.

Hughes finally understood why the Fullmetal Alchemist could kill his opponents so easily. He was hardened by his years, years spent like an untamed murderous creature. Who knew exactly what had driven a child's conscious to become so numb that all human compassion had ceased to exist inside of him. Hughes initially labeled the teen as a sociopath, one that could put on the most deceiving mask of emotions while inside he cared less for those who had died by his hands. Physical and mental abuse from his parents might've been the thing that had pushed the child of the edge. A different part of Edward made Hughes reasons waver though. He'd seen the way Edward would look at Roy with visible shame at himself. If he was capable of shame, then what did that make Edward? Roy and Edward obviously had developed something between each other, something that concerned Hughes.

He remembered the way in which Roy hadn't hesitated to hold Edward's hands in his own at the hospital. The teen only seemed willing to listen to his commanding officer. In fact, Roy seemed to be the only person that could cause shame and vulnerability to surface outside of Edward. It was understandable if Edward had found a parent figure in the Colonel considering that his own parents had failed that role. The affection between the two had gone far beyond a father and son relationship. That's what had begun raising more fears within Hughes that he rather not address.

He had agreed long ago to do nothing more than to lead Roy Mustang to the top. Same went for Riza Hawkeye, Jean Havoc, and the rest of the team. They agreed to be his pawns, but also be the ones to shoot him if he dared stray off his path. The Fullmetal Alchemist was compromising that resolve by engulfing the Colonel in a completely different world, a world of dark magic, artificial humans, government corruption, and exquisite death. He was doing this all while keeping the Colonel tight in his mysterious vice. As much as the two males might care for each other, they might be each other's fall.

Which meant that no matter what happened next, Roy could be used against Edward Elric.

"Hughes... they engaged him in Retribution."

He had come prepared to hear his friend confirm his theory.

The Fullmetal Alchemist that millions of soldiers feared had been forced to kneel for forgiveness. Retribution was by far the worst of the government's punishment on those who committed the severest crimes. The procedure was carried out by Iscariot in attempt to rectify the wrongdoings of a sinner and cleanse them of all their evil. If the process was a success, then God had granted mercy and the sinner had been deemed worthy of a second chance. He would once again be released into society to fulfill whatever duty was bestowed upon him by the organization or the military. The justification for Retribution was that of moral and ethical values, that divine punishment and order were the only ways to maintain this mortal world under the watchful eye of God.

This world was a complete hypocrite to itself.

Retribution was complete and definite hell. The sinner became a victim of their own crimes, forced to endure unthinkably, inhuman, and mind-shattering torture. The government could call it justice. The church could call it divine punishment. Nothing changed the fact that it was nothing more than the savagery that humanity was capable of. No one ever really made it out alive. Either the pain had been enough to kill them or they remained lifeless dolls in some isolated bed. Hughes could't possibly imagine how the men and women who carried out the punishment could live with themselves. By "purifying" a sinner through pain weren't they indulging in the same acts that their religion prohibited? What did they become by the end of it?

This country was ruled by a military supported by alchemy and a religion that reigned on the bones of its victims. These two forced were a complete criticism to one another. Alchemy was for the well being of the people but it was an instrument of warfare. Religion was a system of beliefs to keep humanity in check, to allow them to believe in something more valuable than the tiny lives they lead. Instead, it tore them down for soaring too high. Within these large pictures were people like Hughes, people like Roy. Each one of them held their own frame.

Maes Hughes try not to get caught up in the maddening philosophy and ideals that birthed from all this chaos. He only acknowledged that Edward Elric was a product of it all. Only pain, innocence, evil, good, life, and death could coexist within someone like him. Hughes had a feeling that this teen wasn't just a small rift in that faded into time.

"I have a feeling that we're running out of time, Roy. So many things are unraveling right underneath out noses. Being involved with Edward could leave us dead in ditches. Other than his unfortunate spree I also looked into the name Xerxes. It was hella hard to find anything on it but this is what I found: Xerxes was an a very advanced empire that existed in the desert between our country and Xing. The entire thing vanished in one night. The only archaeological remains are some ruins," informed Hughes.

The shock was still not washing off of Roy. His jaw was tight, his hands balling up on themselves. "Roy, I know that you trust that boy-"

"Damn it, Hughes. I know. Last night... last night Edward wandered out of the hospital." And so Roy told him what he had discovered.

"Where is he right now?" Hughes urged.

"I took him back to the hospital so there wouldn't be problems with the staff. He's suppose to be released today because they found no notable critical injuries on him."

"You just let him out like that?"

"He promised to tell me what had happened."

"He could hurt some-"

"Is everything alright, Colonel?" voice was as bland as stone. She stood against an open door, arms straight at her sides, face emotionless. Hughes hadn't even heard her come in.

"Everything is alright Lt," Roy said with surprising coolness.

But the Lt. didn't buy it. "Sir, if you'd like I can escort you to the hospital before Edward-kun is dismissed. It would be a shame if you didn't gain this valuable information. There are possibilities that the military may be conducting unauthorized experiments on humans. There's even the possibility that our very president is a homunculus. Is that not enough to overturn this government, sir? The safely of many people is at stake. Your youngest subordinate is also involved in some questionable circumstances."

Hughes wanted to scream out how in the hell she knew so much but then a quacking Jean slid out from behind the Lt.

"Havoc, did I not tell you to keep this classified," asked a tired Roy.

"My apologies, sir. It was impossible to deny the madam when she was pointing her pistol straight at me," he cried.

Hughes crossed his arms. "Well, Roy. You have two more people to assist you. Do you realize how much influence you have over Edward, too? It should be sufficient enough to make him cooperate with us and figure out what's going on."

Fortunately, Roy agreed. "Lt. please drive us to Central hospital."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The humming of the car engine didn't usher the awed silence from Havoc, Hawkeye, and Hughes as they drove through the streets. Roy told them every bit he knew about Edward Elric, with the exception of his relationship with the teen and the manner in which he had been raped. The first could never be voiced out loud, and the second was not his given right to tell. Although each of his three friends at one point had shared an experience with Roy and Edward, they still bore heavy gaps of unknown info.

He began with the first time his superiors had tasked him with the recruitment of Fullmetal. Then there were the statues and illness that afflicted Resembool, and their extreme religious beliefs. The day Van Hohemheim and Trisha Elric had tried killing their son. The first visit to the hospital. The first letter Edward had written requesting a state alchemist test. The exam, Fullmetal's acceptance, his automail prosthetic, his request to help fabricate his military record. Then there was Edward's childhood, his parents obsession, their beliefs that he had to die, their own involvement in strange spells and rituals, Edward's wiccan ancestry, his unreal ability at the magic and alchemy. The escape attempts, his recapture, his torture, the struggle for survival. Fullmetal's ability on the battlefield, his encounter with the homunculus Greed, his inhuman eye.

And there had been somethings that Roy had barely remembered.

The fog that Edward had placed on his memory long ago had yet not fully faded, but as he told his subordinates the story he knew about the Fullmetal Alchemist, it began to lift even further. It only added on to the new burden of information that Hughes had given him. Edward's brother, human transmutation, his murderous streak, his Retribution.

"Another reason I had to fabricate Edward's background history was because he has some deep associations with powerful groups of wiccans across the country. Not only that, but he's been frequently sought out by bounty hunters who shared similar beliefs as his parents. These lunatics are trying to finish whatever Hohemheim started." Roy was amazed at the things he knew. "Magic is virtually forbidden, and if Edward is really something other than human then Iscariot ensured that they disciplined him in order to prevent another disaster considering that he killed at a very young age. They must've been fully aware of his parents reputation as well. They must think he's a hazard to the religion itself similarly as well. The plan is still the same, to watch over Edward until the time comes to finish taking care of him. The military has some sort of role in this. King Bradley himself showed up the time Edward fought Greed. The Fuhrer only makes an appearance when its urgently needed. He needed to cover up something. Then the night Edward snuck out of the hospital he fought someone. His automail was more broken but his wounds from the previous battle with the humonculus were all healed. Regenerating abilities no doubt." Roy was sure that the Lt, and Havoc had overheard his speak of the possibility that Edward had cannibalized as a need for survival. He detested having to explain that to Hughes, to admit that Edward was not human.

Did it really matter? Hand't Roy always known that was true at some level? Was he possibly regretting having shown intimate affection to the boy?

"Sir, and how exactly do you know this?" breathed the Lt. She was now wide eyed, staring intently out at the road ahead with both hands gripping the wheel tightly.

"Just a hunch," offered Roy.

"You're kidding," hoped Havoc. "And now we have to worry about what happened during his Retribution."

Roy felt the truth tear through him. He wanted to scream, to demand why Edward hadn't been fully honest with him. The Colonel felt betrayed. Edward should always look to Roy for protection. Always. Had he not made that clear with every kiss and embrace, every word of human compassion that the boy could have from no one else?

Roy also found himself cringing at these thoughts. He felt like he'd never get over the fact that he was in a relationship with someone half his age. Roy was the Hero of Ishval, he was the Flame Alchemist, he was a man that was pulling himself to the top of this country. Then he was also a sinner, some sort of disgusting perverted old man preying on a fifteen year old who probably only tolerated Roy because the boy knew no other humanity besides the torture from his childhood. And what if that was the only reason Edward claimed to have fallen in love with him? What if it was simply because Roy had treated him with nothing but care since the day he found him. It would be easy for a broken, demented, violent, abused child to mistake gratitude for love.

He felt his stomach at the verge of rising in vile. How could he speak of Edward this way? The Fullmetal was a boy of pride, of power, of genius. In a span of days and night this image had faltered, making Roy's love take a hesitant leap backward with it. He still wanted nothing more but to protect and love Edward. Logic told him he was being a fool for not reacting to reality. The boy had acted so damn brave and strong when he had accepted his position as a state alchemist. He'd stepped up to Roy and had exceeded all expectations. Did it ever occur to Roy that he was being methodical for recruiting him, that maybe he'd be unstable, he'd be psychopathic after being burned through hell by his parents, almost killed for his identity. Had it ever dawned on Roy to take precautions, to investigate Iscariot, to investigate the coven of witches Edward claimed he'd been influenced by.

Had it ever subtly crawled into Roy's mind that Edward could be manipulating him?

The Colonel had obliged to everyone of Edward's request. For fucks sake, he'd consented to the boy wiping away his memory. Even that particular event wasn't clear in the hazy timeline that Roy hooked to the back of his memory. Whenever Edward had killed a man on the battlefield Roy had seen it as nothing more than another inevitable measurement of war. The boy might as well learn that death was routine. Could Edward have possibly done it out of sadistic enjoyment rather than duty? Was that child really to blame for the things he had done though?

Roy never thought he'd be made a fool. There was no denying it though. He was probably the biggest fool in existence. Every step forward Roy made might as well be another step towards the extinguishment of his own flame.

"Oi, Colonel!" shouted Havoc for what must've been the fifth time. "Trouble ahead!"

Hawkeye forced the car to lurch to a halt as a wall four black vans aligned the front street that led to the main hospital entrance. Their own car was still a discreet distance away. Roy was about to kick the passenger side door open until Hughes spoke up.

"Those are Iscariot's pets in the vans."

"Iscariot..." Havoc chewed a cigarette in wonder. "We outta stay in the car and wait then."

Not a single protest was uttered before a dozen men and women emerged from the vans. They made two parallel lines, arms straight at their sides, chin slightly pointed at the ground as well as their eyes. The sight could've been a sign of discipline and respect, but to Roy it looked submissive.

The patheticness of the scene crumbled at the sight of the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"The Chief!" the blond in the car blurted.

"You said Edward was on leave from the hospital today right, Colonel?"

"He's suppose to be, but not straight into the paws of the church."

Edward practically strutted through the lines of Iscariot rats with an oppressive sense of pride. He was doing more to annoy the entire world than to convey the latter. He was fitted nicely in his favorite black outfit, his white gloves and golden braid shinning erratically. The boyish scowl was planted on his face like it always was. His demeanor was usually taken as temperance. Roy knew him better. The energy that radiated from Fullmetal that moment was the same defensive shield he used on him when he was twelve and grudgingly agreed to whatever mission the Colonel set him of to. That meant he was reluctantly accepting orders right now.

When the boy reached the end of the imaginary red carpet he folded his arms and allowed his back to face the adults behind him. The air picked up abruptly, sending his bangs away from his eyes. Everyone in the car notably suppressed a gasp. Fullmetal was glaring dead at them.

The short boy stood there for another second. His lips slightly parted as if to say something, which couldn't have possibly been heard from where he was. Roy stupidly found himself hoping for words. A moment later another person emerged behind Fullmetal, forcing his lips to play it casually. A long white waterfall of hair hung below the waist. The woman's frame was tall and thin, connected perfectly to a pointed chin. Iridescent blue eyes were piercing behind a set of glasses. Her skin looked brown but somehow gray, lips never amused. She possessed the same confidence that Fullmetal displayed. The only difference was the formal command in her strict steps.

The lines of guards escorted the two into one van, then took their place in the other three. All the windows were tinted, not a ray of light daring to expose the inside. The vehicles roared to life and started a speedy space towards an unknown destination. Roy could feel Edward going further and further away.

"Lt. follow them. Make sure to not let them notice us," ordered the Colonel.

"Yes, sir."

Their car ripped on its wheels, rubber burning on the pavement. Hawkeye quickly descended across the street parallel to the vans as they picked up their pace.

"Damn. We can't let them get away with him. They definitely have no authorization from the military to do this or else I would've been contacted long ago."

"Why would they risk taking him without direct permission though?" asked Havoc. "Could it be possible that Iscariot is working around the Chief's case with separate motives than the military?"

To prove his point, another large vehicle cut them off, forcing Hawkeye to swerve the wheel one way to prevent a collision. The vehicle was covered off at the top by canvas and held no license plate. It was definitely a combat cart from headquarters. Roy's head almost smacked the passenger window, whipping painfully from the car's motion. Hughes glasses were at an odd angle, while Havoc's chewed cigarette coddled on his shoulder. Hawkeye remained in a poker face.

"Follow it!" Roy shouted.

There wasn't much to follow though. The combat cart swiveled around a corner, determined to intercept the black vans. On its trail Hawkeye remained for a second before she slammed on the brake.

"Colonel, the cart is going to ram straight into the vans!"

Roy's stomach fell into a pit, his weight temporarily losing its sense of gravity. Adrenaline roared in his ears. His body suddenly felt closer to one particular place. When he shut and opened his eyes he was inside the one of those black vans. Everything seemed to have been submerged into a murky water, time difficult to calculate. The smell of liquid iron overwhelmed his lungs, making his heartbeat thump faster. His body wasn't right. With what felt like trudging through mud, Roy looked down to himself except it wasn't himself that he was looking at. Familiar black pants and boots contrasted from the steel floor of the vehicle. That's right...

With whatever control he had left, Roy screamed in his mind.

"Fullmetal, get out of there right now!"

One more blink and Roy was back in his own car feeling time still at a crawl. He faintly registered Hughes pulling him into his seat. At the intersection ahead one van drove past. Shortly behind came the second.

When the third appeared, the military cart was right at its side.

Roy deeply flinched in horror as the cart rammed into the smaller van with lethal force. Steel against steel clamored. Already the cart's bumper was sinking into itself and its victim, denting severely, sending sparks and metal flying. The groaning of the collision was ear raking. The fourth van in line had no warning to keep it at bay, and it joined the disaster when it smashed against the back half of the military cart. The poor van swerved in an arc before flipping on its side and sliding away from the others. The original victims skidded together across the street. The impending force of the large vehicle against the little van tipped it over, sending it rolling, its glass windows shattering and spilling.

"FULLMETAL!"

The Colonel was already sprinting down towards the accident. It was Edward who was in that third van. He had been sitting in there completely oblivious to what was about to kill him.

No, Roy refused to think this had killed him. It should have with the inescapable impact, but he couldn't. Roy wouldn't allow it.

The two vehicles were crushed into a single mesh, with the van completely upside down. Through the driver's cracked window Roy could see the open skull of a man as the body slump down on the neck. His nose was sunken in and his jaw slack.

No.

Frantically he called out to his subordinates who were already in step, guns in hand. Together the three men hauled at the van's doors. Too much time was ticking by. The doors were jammed on themselves, being crippled by the crash. Hawkeye remained with her gun raised. She was becoming nervous with the small crowd of civilians that was congregating around and the two black vans returned as well.

You can't be dead, Edward. Please, show some sign of life.

He didn't care about what Edward had done in the past. He didn't care that he had lied to him. Hadn't he told him that exactly last night? Roy needed to know that he would able to see another smile, feel his soul quiver in the boy's presence, feel his soul touched by gold.

Nothing quite brings out the zest for life in a person like the thought of impending death.

At the moment that felt the least hopeful, Roy was bombarded by memories that set him on fire.

 _The Colonel knew that the way in which Edward had been isolating himself from him lately was to avoid this very thing from happening_

 _He thought that he would only go into the boy's bedroom to say goodnight in hopes of finding the reason for Edward's burden. Instead, he kissed him._

 _This was the first time he'd ever brush lips with Edward Elric. He'd desired it for so long, and the gold boy in the red coat wasn't baking away from the burning flame that was Roy's heart. This day had started like so many others. Knowing that they lived in the same house. Knowing that they were only a few rooms away from being able to lay in the same bed. Then when the older man could stand it no longer he had advanced on the Fullmetal Alchemist._

 _It was more than beauty and passion that he felt in that moment. Roy wrapped his arms around Edward's small waist, so tempted to pick him up in his arms. He wanted to laugh when he realized how much he had to bent over to kiss the teen. The humor was overwhelmed by the heat in his chest. One of Roy's hands was already lacing his fingers through golden strands of hair. When their lips finally parted, Edward gasped._

 _"Colonel..."_

 _"Call me Roy."_

 _He pulled away the red coat as he gently lowered Edward onto his bed. With another slow kiss he climbed on top of the small alchemist._

 _They both leaned into the kiss, one after another._

Unsure if it was simply his deadly vice, Roy did feel the strings being pulled within him. A magnificent hum resonated in every thread. His chest was on fire with the power that glowed.

 _He's alive._

The doors finally relented their cruel hold.


	16. Chapter 16

As soon as Edward heard the screaming warning inside his head he barely had time to lessen the impact of the crash. In a flash he had focused all his energy in his hands, turning to face his left where he could sense the other vehicle coming, and allowed for a sort of force field to form. He let the magical shield spread to the person riding beside him in the van but it wasn't enough. As their van was hit and utterly crushed and toppled over by whatever other vehicle had drove into them, their seat belts were the only thing keeping them from completely trashing around the decreasing space. Ed's shield wrapped around them tighter from the sheer force of the walls of the van crushing into them. Inside his shield the groaning of the cars was muffled.

When the van finally stopped rolling and landed upside down, Edward felt secure enough to give up on his force field. His arms were stiff from holding it up against the crash. He admitted he hadn't been using magic for fighting purposes which left him a little sore.

As he sat glued to his seat for some minutes the shock finally hit him. If it weren't for the outer presence that invaded his head he could have faired much worse! Edward tried laughing it off although he knew that this definitely wasn't an accident at all. Sure his body could've sustain severe injuries and still heal but that wasn't what he was concerned about.

He should've been leaving the hospital with Roy this evening. Instead an old friend visited and demanded he'd go with her.

Friend isn't necessarily the right word.

Sir Integra Hellsing was his Master. Period. She was the person to take him out of the hell that was Retribution. Despite being a high titled member of Iscariot, Integra did things her own way and had her own sense of power. Rather than simply torture him she had disciplined him. She didn't expect him to care a rat's ass about Christianity. As long as he followed her orders and respected the freedom she had bestowed on him, she was satisfied.

Edward admitted that he hadn't been thinking much about her lately. After becoming a state alchemist he'd spent a number of months in that white polished room writhing in pain. The rest of time time up until recently returning under Colonel Mustang's command he'd been struggling to conquer self control. Sir Integra had given him a sense of better logic, he taught him to suck up his stubborn pride in exchange for something more.

Even if she was just as stubborn as him.

That's why it seemed that he had become a dog of the church. In reality he'd become loyal to a woman who saved him. It wasn't just about returning a favor but of sincere emotions he had for her.

Edward stupidly wondered if Roy would be jealous. Speaking of which, Edward felt a surge of warmth spread through him, similar to the sensation he often had after reliving a memory. With was the same sappy warmth of Roy's kisses and cuddles. The same exact warmth from their first kiss...

 _Clang._

The afternoon light seeped through the disfigured interior of the vehicle when one of the back doors broke open. Familiar voices scuttled through. Edward froze when he heard one particular voice.

"Fullmetal! Say something!"

"Mustang?" he croaked back.

"He's alive?!" someone else asked incredulously.

"Like hell I am," Edward retorted with as much rebellion as he could manage.

Edward practically ripped off his seat belt and immediately started crawling around the tight jagged space towards the light. When his hand reached out towards the open door another larger hand took hold. He shut his eyes for a moment and let himself be pulled out of the wreck. Opening his eyes once more he found himself being held by Roy's arms. Edward had to strain his neck to turn his face all the way up, mentally cursing the older man for his height. He forgot to spit out some insult when he met watering onyx eyes. Their blackness warped wildly from happiness.

"Edward! Are you alright?" Roy changed positions to make it look as if Edward was leaning on him for support rather than an embrace as Jean Havoc questioned the boy. "Is anything broken? Geez, if the driver was split open I didn't even want to imagine how you'd end up."

That's right, there were other people in the van...

The alchemist was out of Roy's grasp and to the side of the van in a second. He clapped his hands and smacked then on the vehicle. Streaks of blue light snapped the metal to pieces. Edward stared in overwhelming relief at the body of woman strapped onto her seat, long white hair cascading to the ground from her upturned position, looking safely unconscious and unharmed from the crash.

Edward's shield had saved her from certain death.

He didn't realize he had already dragged her out of the van and lay her head in his lap. His Master's usual glasses were gone. Her eyelashes were almost as white as her hair and her eyelids fluttered slightly.

"Master? Are you well?" Edward couldn't hide the worry in his voice and the slight change in accent. Sir Integra had such a heavy accent that had become contagious. It showed up the most when he became distressed.

The woman finally sat up with a hiss of pain. She held her head with one hand, soothing away the pounding that even Edward could sense. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder to keep her upright while she shook away her daze. He was relieved to sense her normal flare of energy still intact. Edward could only describe it as lively aggressive.

"What the hell happened?" she mumbled.

"A car rammed into us," he informed. "The two vehicles ahead of us are safe. The one behind suffered a hit but I don't think its anything fatal. Ours is pretty much now a scrap of metal. I'm sorry but only the two of us survived." He could feel the absence of souls in the crippled van. It sent shivers down his spine.

It somehow made him excited.

"Who was the bastard who hit us?"

Uncannily, something emerged from the vehicle that had almost killed them. Edward swallowed and felt a cold sweat spread on his body from the effort to restrain the adrenaline that began shooting through his veins. He gently pulled his Master up to her feet. Taking a step forward, he was a thread away from completely snapping.

Snapping at the fact that anyone had the audacity to harm his Master.

His senses were hit by the agonizing energy from the creature that unboarded the vehicle. Edward was appalled by the hunger that radiated, a stronger physical hunger than his own. He'd senses this energy before. It was the energy of thousands of screaming souls trapped into a single body. He had no doubt of it. This was another homunculus.

He was sure this wasn't Greed, Envy, or the other female humonculus. Greed had a lively and possessive pull. He also had an emptiness within him that was almost sad. Envy, the homunculus that had disguised himself as the Lt, held a sadistic hatred and frustration. The female was mysterious and her energy penetrating underneath the skin like her spear-like fingers. This homunculus had an enormous void within itself, never having enough between its teeth.

These creatures seemed to have affected Edward. Similar to his namesake, Greed had amplified Edward's needs to protect the people and secrets he thought were rightfully his to protect. Envy had mocked Edward for his body, knowing that by human standards Edward was a monster as long as he was a flesh eating had awaken a hiden want of Edward's, a want to be treated like every other human being despite what hatred he held against them. The female homunculus had him unfocused, and now this fourth homunculus was sending him into a state of insanity brought on by hunger.

"Edward." The Lt. soft voice pierced the silence he hadn't even noticed had settled down around him. It was the same silence he brought on a battlefield before and after a kill.

It only took him a few moments to feel his ragged breathing and shaking body. He could feel the rattled energy of dozens of people. Out of the corner of his vision Edward saw civilians being shooed away from the scene by what he recognized as Sir Integra's other minor servants from the two vans that had driven ahead of them. The van that had been behind them was still thrown on one side of the street but all its passengers had escaped. Remembering that Roy and his team were here, he spotted them to his left. Pointing their guns, they were still a bit too far behind him to see them clearly since he had unconsciously veered away from them.

Good, that meant they couldn't see his face. The face that was twisting in response to so many emotions he couldn't subdue. He wanted to scream. He wanted to laugh. He might've even wanted to cry. His body waited in anticipation. He faintly registered Roy's body calling out to him. Whether he had vocalized it or it was in his head, Edward didn't bother.

"The little alchemist with the blond hair. I found him!" The creature screeched obnoxiously with a high pitched voice. He was't that tall but he was horrifying fat, a very large mouth on his scrunching face. How he had even fit in the huge vehicle that had rammed into the van, Edward had no idea. "I can finally eat! Eat everyone! Not the alchemist though. But the Iscariot woman, yes!" With a sniff in the air he added, "Roy Mustang." The homunculus adjusted his stance, "I especially need to devour you!"

If it were even possible, Edward's mind further snapped.

Edward wouldn't readily admit it out loud but he knew he was surrounded by people who he wanted to protect. Maybe that's what was causing this emotional turmoil inside his chest. He was filled with wrath by the fact that someone wanted to hurt his loved ones.

He didn't know he was capable of such a desire.

The humonculus hadn't even moved yet before Edward's kagugne came out of his spine like a wild beast. Four tentacle like tendrils of crimson expanded longer and longer, hardening at a maddening speed. His back arched from the explosive surge of stimuli that his blood was trying to read. His right eye stung, adapting to his body's transformation. Focusing on the ground beneath his feet, Edward sent a wave of energy, spreading around him like a rippling in calm water. Gust of winds caused scraps of metal to be blown away, just as the homunculus made his move. At an impossible speed for such a heavy body, the creature lunged straight at Roy.

Edward matched the humonculus's speed, desperately attempting to intercept him. The creature's mouth was open wide. He had a wide smothering tongue. In its center nestled the mark of the ouroborous. The fat bastard was a mere feet away from Roy when Edward finally caught up to him and forced all four tendrils of his kagugne to penetrate the colossal piece of body mass.

He wasn't going to allow anyone to smack the Colonel around except him.

The homunculus let out a whining yell as one tendril stabbed through his left shoulder, another through the right, one right through his blubbering gut, and finally the fourth tendril into his mouth and out the back of his head. Edward had to dig his his heels into the pavement from the sheer force of the interception. For a few seconds, Edward was sliding back on his feet, the homunculus insistent on closing the distance between Roy and himself. At last the creature stopped his pursuit. He hung dumbly from Edward's kagugne as blood sprayed everywhere.

A quivering gasp from behind Ed confirmed that Roy was safe, but he had witnessed Edward's horrendous transformation. Something wet was on Edward's face. He was sure it wasn't raining today.

Oh. His eyes had started tearing.

He wondered what this discovery would lead to. He only hoped Roy could forgive him again for lying.

"Colonel, get everyone out of here! I'll handle this," Edward shouted at his commanding officer. Like the idiot he was, the Colonel just stared at him in disbelief. More harshly this time, Ed shouted, "GO."

He recognized Hughes's hands pulling Roy away, but not before he realized that Roy had not been staring at his kagugne. He had been staring at Edward's tear soaked eyes.

"You always overlook things like this, don't you bastard", Edward whispered to himself. Silently he added, "I love you."

* * *

Roy couldn't stop himself from looking back as Hughes and Hawkeye forced him towards their car.

What-what was this?

Nothing prepared him for _this_. Even when he had already seen Edward's inhuman eye he didn't expect this. It was all he proof needed to confirm that the Fullmetal Alchemist had been responsible for the deaths in Resembool. Edward-he was a murderer.

But it was what had kept Edward alive. If he was correct, he had cannibalized on all those people to not die. Whatever he was, it is something that helped Edward survive the car crash even now. It was what enabled Edward to save Roy from that thing. Edward could've wasted away years ago from the torture he was put through in his childhood. It is what had allowed them to be together.

It wasn't much different from Roy. He too was a murderer, burning the innocent by the hundreds in Ishval. He too had used his own unique power to survive a war. Maybe... maybe that's was something that kept luring him into this insanity that was Edward Elric. In one way or another, they bore the same sins.

Roy had hoped a bit too much that Edward could be saved from such sins.

The Colonel and his subordinates walked further and further away, but Roy was entranced by the scene. It was both beautiful and terrifying. Edward was a creature of power, tears exposing his willingness to sacrifice what little he had left to protect someone else. His body had experienced so much but here he still was, a child waving off danger from the adult.

Roy was almost inside his car when a voice stopped him. "You're not leaving him to fight off that thing alone, are you Colonel Mustang? I thought you never abandoned your subordinates."

He turned around to face the white haired woman that had been in the same van as Edward. Fullmetal had addressed her as 'Master'. With a pang of annoyance he watched her standing to attention, not the slightest perplexed by the circumstances they were all in. She dejectedly stood in front of his car demanding an answer. He didn't know who she was but he was provoked by the obvious relationship between her and Edward. Fullmetal had protected her during the crash and looked uopn her with honest concern once he got her out from between the wreckage. He'd addressed her with a respect that no one else could possibly ever coerce out of the hot tempered boy.

Roy was intensely jealous of all that. He had no idea how this woman had come into Edward's life. Now he was provoked by her remark. Of course he wasn't going to let any of his subordinates on the battle filed, much less his soul mate.

"I wouldn't let a young-ling alone in a situation like this one. Even one as extraordinary as him," he countered. Already his mask of command slipped into place, his attitude controlling and balanced.

But this woman was raging a battle. "Then show me, Hero of Ishval." A van pulled up beside her and whisked her away.

"Lt. drive us to the warehouse district. It should be empty enough for me to use my alchemy there. That thing is after me so it should follow. Take the most deserted streets. I don't want an audience." An audience for Edward more specifically. Roy didn't say that part out loud though.

Like his faithful subordinate, Riza said, "Yes, sir."

"Havoc, do we have a machine gun on board?"

"Um...we do. Please tell me we're not going to provoke that thing the little chief is fighting?" the man squeaked.

And indeed, the little alchemist was dashing around and over the fat homunculus with renewed fury. Those crimson tendrils that extended from his back pierced the creature. No matter how much blood was spilled the homunculus stayed on its feet. Similar to Greed, the homunculus was enveloped in red alchemic light. In seconds all wounds were healed. Edward kept up his merciless attacks.

Roy wondered if he was still crying. He wondered why.

"Hey what's the full plan? We lead those two to the warehouse district, but if that's another full blooded homunculus we have trouble on our hands. Aren't they immortal?" Hughes pointed out. He was already inside the car, looking rather cozy in his seat. Roy reached through the open window and lightly smacked his friend in the head before taking a seat himself.

"Why can't you just follow orders like the Lt?"

* * *

"Ready. Firing in 3...2...1!"

The car shook from the vibrating of the machine gun as it spit bullet after bullet. Havoc peered out of the open back window doing his best to not curl up into a pathetic ball when the homunculus looked at him.

This was step one of Roy's insane plan. At least that's what Hughes had called it.

As soon as Roy and his team had started driving away the fat homunculus had yelled in despair when he realized his target was getting away. He'd managed to scramble a distance from Fullmetal enough to begin the chase. When their car veered around a corner the homunculus was a fair enough distance behind thanks to Edward.

Hughes couldn't help but watch as the boy crawled on the walls of the surrounded buildings with his spider-like tendrils. He leaped so far and high, running at inhuman speeds. He would lunge at the massive homunculus, crushing it with all his force. He would only subdue it for a few moments before releasing it once more into its wild goose chase. Edward must've caught onto the Colonel's plan.

The day quickly grew dark. With the dark came more chaos. A bone chilling cold brought out vapor from their breaths, it added to the danger. Roy's eyes looked as cold as the night.

Today Hughes was going to find out exactly what the hell was going on.

He knew his friend was being reckless. He was still acting the same towards Edward as before, showing a considerable amount of protectiveness. Wasn't anything changing his mind? It was as if he couldn't see in what state Edward was in now.

But Edward had defended Roy.

He'd made no hesitation when the homunculus tried attacking his superior officer. The boy could have allowed the enemy to devour everything and everyone, literally, and simply left home like nothing happened. He apparently cared too much for the people who were there to stand back and hide. What will happen now that his secret is out?

Hughes did his best to hide when something whizzed by barely missing the hood of their car followed by a tremendous _BOOM_. Ahead of them a black van had its doors swung wide open. In this dark he couldn't miss the white mane of hair. The Iscariot woman- she was holding a rocket launcher.

Roy stuck his head outside his window. "DO YOU MI-" Another rocket inched by the man's face. He scrambled back into his seat. Oh Roy, how stupid you can be sometimes.

"Sir, if she's helping us I advise that you don't aggravate her," was all Hawkeye had to say.

"Sure,sure..." the Colonel quietly mumbled in terror.

Hughes recognized his surroundings knowing that they were closing in to the warehouse district. The city would probably appreciate if it weren't being blown to pieces by a rocket launcher, he thought. Fortunately the explosions were slowing down the two beast that were after them. Hawkeye floored the accelerator and bypassed the van in front of them. Hughes was able to catch the short yet intense leering between the Colonel and the white haired woman. Roy's icy black eyes were the perfect opponents for her icy blue eyes.

Finally they arrived to the desolate warehouse district. Hawkeye took her sniper and ran towards higher ground, breaking into one of the buildings to gain the altitude. Havoc dismounted the machine gun from the car and hid in his own spot meanwhile Hughes stayed beside Roy, hiding behind another building. He was only faintly aware of the van that rode further into the district soon becoming quiet when its engine was shut off.

The air stilled only for a moment before an massive cloud of grey dust hurtled towards them. Along with the invisibility came a howl of pain. Hughes recognized the crackling of alchemy that glowed dimly from within the cloud of dust. He could make out the gleaming of hungry teeth. The homunculus trudged forward in agony. It cradled its bleeding face until the absence of light signaled the healing of his most recent injury.

"I'm not suppose to fight you!" the homunculus whined. "I need too eat Roy Mustang. Where are you Mustang?!"

That certain 'you' suddenly flew out from the flowing dust, Edward's bright hair making him easier to track. He mounted the creature's back, digging his tendrils into the blubbery flesh. The homunculus cried out in pain but still kept on moving.

"How many times did I kill you already, you fatass homunculus? That makes thirteen, including getting blown to pieces by that rocket. How many more times, huh?" Fullmetal might've intended to sound mocking. The questionnaire came out more exhausted, breathing becoming labored. His skin was smeared everywhere by the homunculus's blood and what might have been his own.

Edward darted away just in time for a spring of bullets to collide with the homunculus, earning them all another yell. Havoc had begun firing off the machine gun. It wasn't long before the ringing of a sniper's shot accompanied it. The homunculus was oblivious to them in the dust cloud. When the last of the bullets were fired, Hughes and Roy left their safe haven to join the battle.

"Stop!" cried the homunculus. "It hurts!"

Not as much as this was going to hurt.

Hughes heard the snapping of gloved fingers. A whirling fire came to life, snaking through the air and crashing into the massive body. From where he was standing Hughes could feel the intensity of the heat. He could hear the sizzling of the burning flesh, reminding him too much of Roy's role in Ishval.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

Hughes took a step back with every explosion his friend made. The crying was soon an airless rasp. Roy gave one final snap. With that the dust cloud was replaced by a thick layer of smoke. Silence joined the blackness.

"Shit, I think I over did it," mumbled the Colonel.

"MUSTANG!"

The fat figure emerged from the plum of smoke. Red streaks of lights danced all over its charred surface. Its face was venomous, a vicious snarl and slobbering tongue surging forward. The homunculus had moved way too quickly. It was already in front of Roy.

"Hey, catch!" It had been a long time since Hughes was forced to use his hidden knives. This situation definitely called on for the tricks up his sleeve. In one swift movement he threw one knife a his friend who caught it and quickly turned around in time to stab the approaching creature. Unfortunately the blade stayed lodged between the homunculus eyes seemingly unfazzing it. Its large hand swung about but missed the Colonel who dodge backwards. Hughes threw another knife but it also became consumed by the homunculus's regenerating flesh.

Unexpectedly the homunculus turned away from them. It reached into the dissipating smoke as a crimson tentacle aimed right towards him. It clenched the tendril and yanked it towards him.

"I said STOP IT!"

Massive hands pulled the Fullmetal Alchemist straight into the beast's mouth.

The boy had attacked without expecting the homunculus to react so quickly. Once the thing had taken a hold of his tendril he had no way of pulling his body away as the homunculus grabbed one leg and one arm, holding Edward horizontally in the air. It's eyes spoke of no logic, no reason for its vicious actions. Mouth opened wide and with a horrendous snap, the boy's entire abdomen was being crushed between its teeth.

"Tch...agh...Le...let...go," he quietly ordered.

Hughes thought that the boy never looked so tiny, so physically broken within those powerful jaws. Comparing the young alchemist and the homunculus, Edward was the least monstrous from the two.

His automail arm twitched, slowly making its way up for some insane attempt at escape. The homunculus was having none of it and so he bit down even tighter. Edward's head snapped back, eyes open wide and lungs breathless. He was hanging limply now. The deadly tendrils that had kept him moving were crumbling to nothing. The crimson disappeared with one gust of wind.

No, they couldn't let him die.

"You...you..."

The air was suddenly suffocating. It was beyond human toleration, the heat that was sweeping around the entire district. Hughes couldn't move. Every limb was frozen, time unfocused. The plumes of dust were more like a thin sheet of snow. They stayed in limbo, not falling to the ground below. The man could've stood there for the rest of his life and not know the difference. The only indication that the earth still revolved was Roy Mustang.

The man glowed with fire.

The aura that enveloped him was a magnificent gold that blazed more lovingly than anything Hughes had ever seen. He knew he'd seen that shade of gold somewhere but he couldn't seem to keep his mind functioning. Roy's dark eyes had a glow of their own, only it warped inwards and to some unknown place.

"You..." His voice, his very presence, was deadly. The fire that circled his body was fit to be the last sight of his prey.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The Flame Alchemist pointed a single hand at the homunculus, and without even snapping, a blinding fire roared.

 _Roy, wait!_ Hughes couldn't speak. He couldn't remind the alchemist that Edward was still caught up inside the homunculus mouth.

The fire seemed to already know though. The homunculus opened with mouth wide when the agonizing heat made contact with its body and the boy fell to the ground. The gold continued burning without mercy circling around faster and tighter. The newly formed hell was a maddening cry, crunching and slashing at its victim, cradling close- about to incinerate an entire world. The fire finally relented, and a new peace settled in.

It took a few moments for Hughes body to obey him. As he regained control he followed his friend towards the black ashen mess. The homunculus was only half there, flesh and bone now molten stone. Half of its face, its entire stomach, and part of its legs were gone, having been blasted away from the Colonel's attack. Red streaks of lights sparked weakly, no where as lively as the golden sparks that still twinkled here and there, the air physically stressed from the fire that had stolen oxygen.

Beside the mangled creature lay Edward Elric unaffected by the fire. His skin wasn't the fainted reddened by the change in temperature that surrounded him moments before. There wasn't even a drop of sweat on his brow. In contrast, pale skin was exposed by torn clothes, the giant mark of the homunculus's mouth all too clear. Bones stretched the skin on its surface at places that couldn't have been right unless they were fractured and twisted. Golden eyes were hidden by quivering eyelids tightening from toleration. The chest heaved up and down; insufficient elements entering strained lungs. Blood was sputtered by an uncooperative mouth that had no power against the red that yearned to be freed from damaged insides. The already broken automail arm still presented an occasional twitch. Both legs seemed to be the only ones who had done well. Hughes got a fair view of the scared skin where an Edward's automail port met his shoulder.

"Chief!" Havoc was the first to call out the boy. All four adults abandoned their old positions in turn for somehow comforting the mutilated child.

"Don't touch him!"

They were a few strides away when they froze. Edward's 'master' sprinted towards them with her flawless brown face. The green jacket she wore was teased by the wind. Where had she been this entire time?

"Excuse me but this boy needs medical attention," Hughes retorted to the stupid request. "Do you want him to bleed to death?"

The smell of iron reached his nostrils. He knew that it shouldn't be this potent or cling on to the air the way it did now. That's what it was doing. Red specs of blood lightly whirled around him like a shark in water, treading closer.

Havoc barely breathed, "What the fuck..."

The Iscariot woman finally met them with a scowl. In a near dead whisper she said, "Oh he wouldn't be the one bleeding to death."

The adults became tentative of Edward's rising form. Their gasp were half choked when they saw the previously wounded teen up on one knee and nearly snarling at them. Hughes noted the sharp edges of his teeth. The alchemist was raked with convulsions each accompanied by muffled groan or howl. The forming tendrils on his back were the source of the whirlpool of crimson that surrounded them; the tiny specs coming together into a horrific appendage. Edward's body seemed to tell him to go forward and attack while another part of him forced his feet to stay to the ground beneath.

His regeneration ability must be kicking in, thought Hughes. Roy had guessed that Edward's body enabled him to. What Hughes questioned was whether the speed of the process was faster if Edward fed a close time before or during. By the looks of it the regeneration was being forced to occur, resulting in a great deal of pain. Also, if Edward's transformation was provoked by hunger and physical pain, just how much control did he have over himself right now?

Hughes withdrew a third hidden knife. Hawkeye and Havoc prepared the last of their ammo, taking their pistols from their waist holster. Roy's fingers barely grazed his own gun, hovering questionably. The Iscariot woman reached into a chest pocket to retrieve a small case. Almost in complete nonchalance she began making her way towards Edward.

"What exactly are you planning?" Roy roughly gripped the woman by her thin arm when she tried bypassing him. She responded with nothing more than a frown of disgust at the contact. Her cold eyes once again stared at Roy's. Neither one would allow the other to claim the Fullmetal Alchemist as their own...

That's exactly what this was. While all else had taken Edward Elric for granted, these two wanted his soul. Hughes couldn't rid of the thought.

The blood around them now smelled of flesh burnt to a crisp. It fell down in flakes like the snow on children of a winter day. It was eerily beautiful but nauseating as Hughes reminded himself that it was blood.

Edward struggled to verbalize his opinion on the matter. "Do...it..." The tendrils on his back were only half solidified. They slammed themselves against the ground until they shattered and disintegrated with a gust of grey smoke. He willed both knees to the floor and cocked his head out. "Do it."

Roy's eyes hardened at his subordinate's words.

"I'm going to sedate him. He's obviously hasn't had a meal in months and its excruciatingly dragging on his healing. His body is trying to build itself for battle, except there isn't any now and it won''t stop until he's gotten some blood in him," the Iscariot woman explained. She received a handful of skeptical looks raising a question out of her. "I thought you knew about his ghoul form."

"His ghoul form..." Roy trailed along. "Is that what you call it?" Hughes saw his friend play the words on his lips. If the words were acrid he didn't show a sign of the unpleasantness.

"The injection has to be in his eye," the woman quietly added a bit more sympathetically. "I need you to hold him still for a few seconds," and with a smile, "although he could probably manage on his own."

Roy gingerly went behind Edward and imitated his position. He then inched closer and closer, wrapping his arms around the teen's abdomen. Hughes was surprised to see Edward faithfully lean his weight onto his commanding officer. An all too gentle hand of Roy's cleared away the matted strands of blond hair from the little alchemist's face. Edward's erratic breathing immediately smoothed out to a mediating-like presence.

The white haired woman then proceeded with the injection.

Hawkeye turned away respectfully with closed eyes while Havoc clench his jaw and put his hand to his own face. Hughes pressed the tip of his tongue against the back of his teeth harder the deeper the needle penetrated through the black and red eye ball. It definitely didn't feel like a 'few seconds'. Edward noticeably struggled to remain motionless and keep his eyelids from getting in the way. Roy had offered a hand which the boy gave a white knuckled grip with his flesh hand.

The needle finally retreated. "Off you go," the wielder whispered.

Edward's eye slowly returned to its usual gold. His teeth were no longer menacing, his shoulders drooping, muscles abandoning tension. The drugs took over just as he gave one last look around. He only hinted a small smile when he turned his head to peer at the Colonel. Even as he gave in to the sedative chemical spreading through his arteries he never let go of the older man's hand or did he make any effort to retreat from the arms that held him so securely.


	17. Chapter 17

Alphonse was going to _throttle_ his brother for whatever mess he'd gotten in.

As the streetlights flickered off at dawn the armor could hear Colonel Mustang saluting the days work with a cup of coffee. Like always, Alphonse hadn't slept. His only entertainment last night was to spy on Edward's partner. Okay, maybe it wasn't the nicest thing but he was curious as to what had captivated his older brother so much that he'd settle his heart.

Alphonse had stayed out of sight once the man came home from dropping Edward off at the hospital. He still felt ashamed for his earlier reaction. It was sorta justified though. What else was he suppose to do when a man was kissing his brother?

He listened to the man's feather light shuffling - something much different from Edward's rougher left steps due to his metal prosthetic- throughout the house when he prepared for bed. Alphonse had caught Mustang shirtless, something that he might've blushed at if he had his body. He was silly for it but thinking that this was Edward's romantic partner- wait, he didn't know if they'd actually had sexual intercourse. He shouldn't be assuming things behind brother's back!

Yet he wondered if Edward enjoyed staring at that shirtless man. The Colonel was certainty attractive and looked younger than twenty-nine. His body was a canvas of merit. He was undeniably handsome with those dark eyes. Overall flawless. This body definitely fit with his personality.

Alphonse hadn't had a chance to see too much of that personality though. Again he left it to the idealistic assumptions he hoped could be true. A strong, selfless soldier who'd give up his own life for that of his comrade. One that'll return home everyday to greet his brother and dedicate his unwavering love too. Alphonse had never been romantically involved with anyone else. Well, how could he now with this suit of armor? He wasn't an expert in love stories as his life was far from one.

A subtle bitterness nagged at him. He was ashamed of it but he didn't deny its existence. He was sometimes bitter in this empty container. He was sometimes teetering over a ledge, desperately holding on to a memory he once held on so fondly. The memory of being able to feel. What was it like everywhere he went? He imagined this house had a placid warmth that even clung on to the hairs at the scalp. It's been rainy lately so perhaps there's a contrasting chill outdoors that seeps into the thinnest gaps in your clothes and raises the goosebumps on your skin. How did brother feel when he received an adoring kiss on the cheek every morning from his dear Colonel?

He could think of his current physical state as a container or condemnation. What could have possibly decided this for him? He yearned to witness the other end of this equivalent exchange. He begged the earth to compensate his pain, of this cruel deprivation of _normality_. There was a magnificence in this man made hell of his. The only sense left was his sight. It must be a cruel joke, the sight that he kept to watch humanity bubble in a turbulent mass.

He admitted that it was hard not to lay a blame. Alphonse didn't want to think these thoughts. He desired to believe in the best of people despite what experience had taught him. He wanted so badly to believe...

This armor was a discouraging truth though. What a better reminder than being trapped with only his _mind_ , his _soul_. Humans. Alchemy. Magic. Everything that he had depended on to shape his perception of this entirely vast universe which he was only small speck of- had delivered him here.

Edward was with him though. Brother, who had gone by far through even a worse degradation, was searching for a way to fix Al. The younger Elric could not conceive the source of his brother's strength to continue trudging forward. And yeah, it might be a trudge, but it was a monumental move forward for someone like them both.

He wondered how much information his brother had gained about returning to their bodies while joining the military. In the letters they wrote back and forth Ed had explained that most leads were dead-ends and what journeys were valuable were always being disrupted by his military duties. Alphonse still held on to hope.

A hope that fluctuated as the day progressed.

Al waited patiently for the Colonel to return that day with his brother in hand but neither of them arrived. When he could tolerate the wait no more he wandered the streets.

He brushed by the scene of the car accident and almost lost his bearings. Right away he knew that Edward was involved in it somehow. There was a luring energy there. Alphonse had familiarized himself with it from the energy that had lingered in his own home after his dad fought tooth and claw with his brother.

The armor followed the stream of destruction further out from downtown Central. He glared at the sides of crumbling buildings and the scratches on the pavement. What might have been footprints were large holes in the grey asphalt. At last he encountered a cloud of dust and smoke. The clanging of his metallic steps alerted anyone of his presence.

He halted at the clicking of guns in the near distance. He dared to call out, "Hello?"

He heard someone say, "It's Alphonse."

Taking it as a cue, he covered the rest of the distance. When he saw his brother it felt as if his blood rune was being remarked with acid.

"What the _hell_ happened?!"

The black tides of the night further engulfed the district. The fabric of Al's consciousness deteriorated, for what creature could be ample of his brother's pain. What fucking world did they live in that it was stripped of all reason? What was this predator that hunted his brother?

As the universe's unsympathetic intellect gazed down on them, Alphonse cried out for his brother.

"Ed! What happened? What's been happening? Edward tell me!" The bulky armor has ripped the seemingly lifeless body away from someone's arms. He couldn't stop himself from shaking the Fullmetal Alchemist because he feared that there would be no response.

"You must be Edward's younger brother."

Alphonse couldn't concentrate on the woman that addressed him. She made an effort to sound soothing but her accent tainted any geniality that might be offered.

"What's going on..." he begged.

He received an analyzing gaze. "Please do save the worry. I know your brother wouldn't favor it one bit. He'll be fine in a few hour or so. Now come, there's a gut full we must all discuss."

* * *

His head whipped from side to side. He couldn't get it out of his head. Silent deranged screaming couldn't wake a single sympathetic being. Lights beamed in his eye like rotten stars and exposed skin was engulfed by a wave of massive panic, a million fibers attaching and detaching. Submerged into an incoherent pool of chaos that cut into his insides. Not wishing to open his mouth with the inducing fear that the phantom might crawl its way into his throat, he tried so hard to hold himself together but it had him at all ends.

"Lay down. You need to rest."

"Is he waking up already?"

It was distressful to try and listen to the voices. They asked too much, too often.

"Exactly how strong is the sedative you gave him?"

"Strong enough, I'd gather. Its been four hours."

Oh. Yes... he'd been bitten by that obese homunculus. The injection. The sedative. That's where the suffocating sensation assaulted him from.

He parted his lips. The phantom was still there. It longed to imitate the possession of human flesh hastily chewed in his mouth ,but the chemicals were thinning away in his veins making it weak. Edward worked to re-enhance his senses. They sharpened and unfocused for a minute like a camera lens preparing for the perfect shot.

Restoring senses hit him with the soreness in his ribs and stomach. Had he finished healing yet? Probably not he proctored, not with the dose his master had given him this time.

"Where are we?" His words came out quite hollow. Damn meds.

"The old mansion." His ears weren't lying to him. That was his master.

His vision was still a smear of white. "I can't pick on anything much. Who else is here?"

"Your brother."

Please let that be a lie, he thought.

His master's words were unfortunately faithful. His eyes finally fought away their previous numbness and revealed to him that he was in a very, very, _very_ deep trouble.

He wished he could push out of the sinking mattress he laid in and jump out a window to the quietness of the trees outside. Everything was better than this right now. Hell, he wanted to hide under the blanket or rip out the bandages from his abdomen and dig deep into his wounds to where no one could bother him.

With lighting alarm Edward found Alphonse sitting right next to the bed.

"Ed, the Colonel told me everything that's been going on."

Ed looked around him. Where was everyone else? Havoc, Hawkeye, Hughes, _Roy_. What had they told his brother?

As if reading his mind, Alphonse clarified, "He told me about your Retribution, and the reason for it."

Fucking hell, did they really know?

The red lights in the armor were hard. "I... I wish I could've helped you Ed. I was a fool to stand by while you ran away from home and Dad brought you back. All this time I tried dismissing what I saw... I know you had killed people but I didn't understand why or how. I just didn't know how to face the truth that I convinced myself it was part of some horrible fantasy. I did see Dad bury the bodies. Every single one of them. I never knew who they were..." His voice cracked. If he had his body he might've been crying.

Something inside Edward was being bludgeoned to death by his brother's words. The blows paused at the next thing he heard.

"I don't think any of those people deserved to die but... I still love you Edward, human or ghoul, military dog or not, I love you."

His little brother's forgiveness and love was not something he expected to be handed.

"Al..."

His little brother stopped any protest from him. "I will always be on your side, no matter what."

The light tapping of footsteps shook the Elrics from their moment. Master approached them with a smile that Edward thought he'd enjoy in his dreams.

* * *

"This place is a luxury I wouldn't pass."

Hughes rejected Havoc's offer of a cigarette as the blond ranted about his likes for the mansion. He admitted that it was beautiful. Whatever style it was, it was glorious. The building nestled silently in the middle of a still lake, never to be spotted by a random passerby as it was smothered with trees. They currently rested in a circular room that was elevated and jutted out from the rest of the mansion on one side. Almost the entire circumference of the room was paved by windows with bronze panes. The windows soared high to the rounded ceiling, giving a wondrous view of the nature that surrounded them for miles. An indeed it were several miles. The man had lost track. They all driven here by the guidance of the Iscariot woman for the safety of themselves and the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Hey, Colonel, think you can build up a place like this? Eh never mind, you're probably too broke."

A half-hearted "Excuse me?" was all Roy could offer.

"How do you think Alphonse took the news?" Hughes asked his friend.

Sighing, Roy answered, "He's grief stricken to say the least. Considering how he didn't try denying it, deep down the kid must've already known."

Only a while ago had Hughes and Roy explained to the armor exactly what his brother was and what he had done. It had genuinely pained Hughes to explain the unsolved murders from Resembool to the boy, a feeling further fueled by the fact that he had discussed this only hours before with Roy.

Hearing this conversation brewing, Sir Integra Hellsing finally let her name be known and confirmed that yes, Iscariot had made connections between the Resembool murders and Edward's, eh, condition.

Said persons walked in together, the three surprisingly tranquil. Sir Integra didn't seem to mind at all that she had put a needle in a teen's eye, and that inhuman teen was all at ease after almost being bitten in half, and the armor, well, was quite animate for an empty metal shell. The doors they opened slowly drifted shut behind them. There were plenty of lavish couches ready to serve as seats for guest but everyone remained standing.

"Now, I'm sure we are all eager to get an explanation for the madness that's been conspiring lately," the white haired woman announced rather cheerfully. "I think I'll volunteer for the first question."

Hughes was almost aggravated by her directness. He became moved by Roy equal straight-to-the-point attitude when he immediately asked, "Exactly what is your connection to my subordinate?"

The woman's initial jovial tone twitched with her lips. She suddenly became bland. "I took your dear subordinate out of his Retribution." Hughes felt her words creep into Roy's ear and nestle between the crevices. His black eyes had only been looking at one golden haired boy. Now, they veered wide with shock and scrutinized Sir Integra.

"Why would you do that? You're an official of Iscariot. You weren't even authorized to take that boy out of the hospital today, by your organization or the military."

"That will be our next point of topic right after you explain to me a couple of things. I'm putting a lot at stake if I reveal any of my knowledge to you. I don't need to give myself into the hands of a potential enemy." Everyone was still except for Roy and Edward. Hughes may have been seeing things but there seemed to be a magnetic pull between the two, especially from Edward. The objects around him were somehow lively although they were merely that, just matter laying about. The liveliness of it wasn't a joyous one. It was like the adrenaline of man when they knew of their demise, craving to be consumed or to escape. Once again Hughes felt a familiar sensation. He heard things that both disturbed and intrigued him. Time wasn't so clear and he began the habit of forgetting small details.

The man took off his glasses. Damn it, the strange sensations lingered painfully. He registered Hawkeye and Havoc's eyes glancing around occasionally. He could feel their growing confusion. So he wasn't the only one...

Sir Integra was regarding him with bemusement. She straightened her posture by a fragment, pointedly pushing her new pair of glasses on the ridge of her nose, and released but the gentlest puff of air. The affect that single action had was tantalizing. The Fullmetal Alchemist, covered by thick links of bandages that exposed his upper chest, followed silent orders. He held his hands behind his back, erected his spine. For only a second did he close those golden eyes into a peaceful rest before they opened. Immediately, Hughes felt his mind settle down solidly on the earth.

Now he remembered what that sensation was. It was the same that he'd experienced at his house the night those men had broken in. Hadn't he traced the beautiful singing and whispering back to Edward? And at the hospital- when those petals had threatened him by their circling movements around his feet. The blond alchemist had been watching him from his hospital window. Most importantly, that language in which he had heard the singing. He now recognized it as the language of the witches. Admittedly he'd only heard it a few times during close encounters between Amestris soldiers and wiccans while in the military, but it was a sound he doubted anyone could forget. Most men dismissed it as gibberish out of the mouths of heretics. Hughes was seriously having second thoughts.

He put his trust in Roy's words. Okay, let's say this magic was real. What kind of magic was Edward working right now? And was it really that easy for him to manipulate what everyone else saw with a blink of an eye?

"First off, why exactly was in the hospital?"

Edward's eyes were pleading Roy to confess. He was assuring his commanding officer that there was nothing he should hide. Except a single thing. What was it? And Hughes had noticed that the two always communicated this message freely although that message could hold the contents of something malicious.

Roy responded to the look of those golden eyes. "Alphonse Elric was initially taken hostage by a band of chimeras led by a man named Greed who claimed to be a homunculus. He wanted information as to how Alphonse's soul was transmutated into the armor. Seeing as an opportunity to find his brother, Alphonse admitted Edward was the one to do it. Greed eventually got my subordinates and I involved, which led for Edward to get in a physical alteration with the homunculus." With evident disapproval, the Colonel added, "He also decided to leave the hospital on his own accord, and got into another fight."

Edward almost smiled.

"I would guess that the thing that attacked us today was also a homunculus," mused Sir Integra.

"Greed had an amazing ability to regenerate. The homunculus from today exemplified that same skill, seemingly making it impossible to kill." Hughes couldn't help but look at Edward as his friend said that.

"Homunculus are also characterized by their energy," Riza piped in, causing everyone to turn.

Finding courage in her words, Havoc contributed, "You did say that Greed has a unique energy, Chief, when we were in the sewer."

Riza gently questioned, "What kind of energy was it?"

Point blank, the alchemist responded, "The energy of thousands of human souls."

When no one spoke Edward very conveniently added, "King Bradley has the same energy within him."

Sir Integra flashed a wicked smile and muttered, "That old man isn't retiring anytime soon, is he?" Louder she asked, "What about the chimeras?"

"Perfect flesh and bone."

"We suspect that there are some severe implications with the military then if they have been experimenting on humans and if the head of the government has his own secrets," Roy continued. "Fullmetal, who did you fight after you wandered out the hospital?"

The boy bit his lip. "Two other homunculus."

"Now there's four!?" Havoc exclaimed.

"Edward, did they give any hints as to how they were made. If the military is really conducting experiments, these artificial humans just might be one of them," said Hughes.

"One homunculus was called Envy and was able to shape-shift. In fact, it appeared in the form of the Lt."

A homunculus that could shape-shift? Oh, no. To someone like Edward who could pick out energies and distinguish them it wouldn't necessarily be a problem. To others though, like Roy and Hughes himself, this could be a deadly weapon.

"The other homunculus was female and had the ouroborous tattoo on her chest. Greed had it on his hand, and the fat one on his tongue. She didn't give her name. The only thing she did mention was that I was a valuable sacrifice."

"A sacrifice?" echoed Alphonse. Hughes almost jumped, forgetting that the armor was a boy.

"It seemed that they weren't willing to kill me because of it."

"Is that all that's happened recently?" Sir Integra pressed. She sounded like she was in a rush for one final meal. That particular meal was revealed when she set her iron stare on Roy. Edward didn't miss a beat in her speech.

And again, Hughes felt that pull between Roy and Edward. The little alchemist managed to sneak one more look at the Colonel's eyes before quietly turning to the woman and mumbling, "That's all, Master."

"Dismissed."

Hughes watched the boy walk out the room with a deadly vibe.

"Roy Mustang, follow me."

Like the protective friend she was, Riza took a step forward but the Iscariot woman added angrily, "I called the Colonel, not you."

"It's alright Lt. I'll be back," Roy assured.

The Flame Alchemist followed the woman out the room. He seemed to be smoldering in the heat of his own after-smoke, looking more nervous than ever.

What is it with you and Edward, Roy?

* * *

She knew his deadliest sin and she rightfully detested him for it.

"Mustang, I like you the less and less you breathe. I would love to take you into hole where you won't be found."

He mustered up a, "How charming."

The white haired woman circled him time and time again, trying to figure out the size of her dilemma. To be more accurate, her next victim.

"I know you have interest in Edward. Interest that are _not_ appropriate."

Roy swallowed the next lie. He'd dealt with enough politics before to know that this wasn't worth the argument. Sir Integra knew the truth and there was no way around it. He couldn't pretend anymore.

Those icy blue eyes were of a hate-breed that the Colonel had yet to experience.

In one unexpected moment, Roy was on the floor with an arm pinned behind his back, his head pulled up by his hair, and a blade at his throat.

"I don't know how you managed to get this far with it but I will not idly stand by." The words were of a venomous viper with three tongues. "That boy trusts you with his _life_." Roy was sure he could feel the jealously practically dripping off.

So what the hell did she want him to do? Roy had already crossed out the option of ending his relationship with Edward. Never could he do that. The two alchemists didn't need to ask each other to know that they meant to fight for their love. Roy had come to accept the blond for who he was. He had reached out to Ed who in response willingly wanted to be with him too. Sometimes the age difference did stun them but at this moment the older man realized that he found no remorse in it because it was one thing to want, and another thing to steal. He had not stolen.

There was so much Roy wanted to know about Edward too. They haven't had enough time, no not yet. There would never be enough time for Roy to be with his love. He wanted to know more about Edward's childhood. How had the ghoul in him survived; exactly what horrific things had his parents inflicted on him; when did he realize he was a witch; who were the cowards who had raped him. He wanted to make all this agony disappear, Roy wanted to be gentle with Edward, to show him what no one ever did. The flame in his heart would burn forever that shade of gold he adored. Their relationship didn't even have to be based on the past. What Roy desired more was to make a future where Edward could smile everyday, every second. He wanted to enjoy the small things. Like how did Edward decide to grow his hair and braid it; what was his first alchemy book; what was last night's dream about.

If he couldn't make a definite future for this country, Roy Mustang would be damned if he let Edward's turn to ash.

"I'm not leaving him," he said.

"You what?"

"I'm not going to stop loving him just because of a little threat. If his life is at risk then this is a time that he will need me the most. I don't expect anyone to understand."

Roy couldn't feel anything for several seconds that he might as well had his throat slit but the weight on his back was removed and he stood up.

In a tone so low and precise he heard, "Will you really be by his side?"

And even though he had already said no one would understand, here was a woman he'd barely met that looked at him with a new fondness. That ice in her eyes became calming oceans. Was this all a test of loyalty?

He really did pass.

"Always."

* * *

"Did you guys feel it?"

Alphonse wasn't sure what specific kind of magic his older brother was using but he knew it was there.

All three adults responded, "Yes."

"I thought I was hallucinating," said Havoc.

"Was that some sort of magic?" asked Hughes.

"I'm sure it was. I can't feel energies very well because I don't have a real body but the look on your faces said it all," Al responded. "I think this entire place is enchanted."

"You're right."

All four jumped at the echo of the new arrival. Peeking through the an open door a smiling woman stared at them with wide red eyes. Alphonse had never seen that color look so innocent on anyone's face. She continued towards them with friendly strides. She was definitely not as tall as Sir Integra but she was fit under her mustard brown military shorts and shirt. Well, at least Al thought they were military-looking. They weren't any similar to the usual blue Amestris uniforms.

"Sorry for butting in but Lord Integra sent me to keep company. My name is Seras." Seras was much too friendly and even childlike with her two short stiff ponytails. Her hair was almost the same shade as her clothes. Her accent less harsh than her master's.

The Lt. wasn't as trusting. "Are you a servant of her's?" Al flinched a little at the remark. The Lt. hadn't used the word 'subordinate'. She stared on disapprovingly.

"A protector, yes," suggested Seras.

"So this mansion is enchanted then?" Alphonse switched topics.

"Yes it is. Edward placed special barriers over the area to hide the mansion from outsiders. Only with permission can people enter."

"All that magic must be amplified by his presence then." Although Alphonse wasn't a witch like his older brother he lived long enough in the covens to know that this was some handy work. He couldn't help but think how amazed the witches would be.

"Correct," Seras cheerfully announced. "There are two main barriers. There's one layer to make the mansion invisible, and the outermost one hides all magic from being detected." With sympathy she said, "Excuse Edward. Since he's a little groggy from meds sometimes he lets the refinement of his magic sway."

"What happens when he's not within the mansion then?" asked Hughes.

"Oh, there are permanent seals engraved inside so the barriers should do fine when he's away." Seras considered for a moment, "Would you like a tour?"

Everyone looked at each other before turning to the Lt. who thankfully said, "We have time."

* * *

As they walked through the beauty of the mansion, Alphonse yearned to reconnect with his brother. He always felt a thousand miles away. Their life was a mess. Edward's life was scattered everywhere, and every time Alphonse saw his face it held something new. Here in this mansion something made their brotherhood whole again. Here, Al swore he'd never again allow cruel hands to straggle his brother. His mother's weak embrace will never elude him to think there was love when there really wasn't. His father's bold presence would not make him coward; a father never again to torture his son . Soldiers would never place their filth between his brother's legs, church followers never to steal him away to their insanity.

Right here he could only linger on hope.

"Did you know Edward was a ghoul?" Alphonse asked Seras.

The other adults had found ways ti drift away from the tour. There were no where in sight now.

"I knew from the first time I saw him." Al adored the love in her voice.

"And when was that?"

"Why don't I just show you?"

In an instant, Seras red eyes glowed with such intensity it consumed him.

 _A furious storm smashed small specs of hail against them._

 _"She's had half her chest blown off. Her conscious is barely there. I can't heal her like this. There's practically nothing I can reconstruct." Edward's hair was matted to his face in wet strands. Hail cut across his left arm and bounced off his right arm. He was knelled frozen over Seras's body, lumps of flesh lost all over what should have been her chest. Blood mixed into the mud beneath._

 _"We mustn't let her die." Sir Integra looked on with a shaking fear. Her once neat clothes were drenched. "She's been with me since she was a child. She's become my own blood."_

 _Edward's eyes searched all over the almost dead face. His eyes went wide with the idea that struck his head._

 _"I think I can save her. The process isn't the same but... "_

 _"I give you the order Edward. Let her live."_

 _Obediently_ _, Edward did restore Seras into a new form._

 _Gracefully his kagugne was unleashed. Its swirled freely around, carving the ground with an intricate runes around the dying woman. When the runes where set and done, the crimson tendrils moved Edward above her. His tongue released magical words, and when the words stopped, the tongue extended out and a single drop of Edward's own blood trickled into Seras gaping mouth._

 _The convulsions hit her hard, her existence fighting to stay in this realm. Her humanity was slowly being left behind in turn for what Edward had given her. It hurt for her body to transform but she held out._

 _When Seras awoke, every part of her body was intact, and in her mind something awaiting to rise. She watched her savior loom over her with his enchanting gold eyes that reflected the new red in her own._

Alphonse nearly fell to the floor as he returned from the shared memory. "Was that-that was-"

"That was us," Seras finished. "Your brother gave me a second chance that will last forever."

Forever? "What do you mean?"

"Your brother made me immortal."


	18. Chapter 18

_"Bother!"_

 _No matter how many times he called out to Edward the black hands pulled him to an abyss of terror._

 _Moments before Dad had pressed the cold gun against Al's small head. The boy had frozen. He had never expected his own father to do such a thing. He hadn't showed a trace of hatred towards Al the way he did towards his brother. Why would Dad point a gun at his beloved son now?_

 _The father had threatened to murder his youngest son if Edward didn't complete the transmutation._

 _"You're in no position to oppose me," Hoheimheim spat at the older Elric. "I was prepared this time. I made sure that I used the proper runes to block your magic in this house. Nothing can save you. Not even your monstrous form. Nothing. If you don't obey I will shoot this child. Now activate the circle."_

 _"You imbecile," Edward hissed. "You think your theory is flawless don't you? These little drawings you call transmutation circles won't work. There's no way to bring back the dead."_

 _"Quiet your tongue you beast or do you want this innocent boy to die?"_

 _"You humans don't even have heart for your children..."_

 _"YOU are no child of mine."_

 _Alphonse knew his brother was right. They all knew human transmutation was a forbidden alchemy. There was no way to know what damage would occur if Edward really attempted it._

 _With all odds against them, they did it to save each other._

 _"I can see it! The Gate has been opened!" Their father wildly crackled in rejoice as his sons were torn apart._

 _The black hands nibbled at Al's skin, shattering it into tiny pieces and fade away. The pain that followed from being disembodied was blinding, as blinding as the pounding in his head when he passed through that thing his father called the Gate. This was truth, he thought. The truth that would kill him._

 _He tried to look back at his brother but all he managed was a glimpse of a bloodied leg._

 _For a while he had floated in a white silence until he felt his very soul pass one more time through the Gate. And it was only his soul that has been brought back to his brother, for when he opened his eyes he saw the suit of armor given to him as he held Edward in a pool of his own blood._

* * *

"Edward..."

Roy found him standing in the middle of a moonlight bedroom, staring up through the glass ceiling into the unreachable. Alike the circular chamber they've all been earlier, this room was all on its own on the very top of the mansion; a small watchtower accommodated into Fullmetal's personal space. Bandages littered the floor around leather boots, the teen now wearing his usual outfit.

He stared and stared at the star dotted sky. He didn't ask for answers. He simply observed with a killing extremity of wonder. The light bathe his pale face. Around the room hung dozens of pots that held spider-like plants, their long curled petals absorbing what they could.

At Roy's voice, the blond slowly turned to face him. He stood there with uncertainty. It was a saddening sight for the older man. The skeletal look of a broken automail hand covered by white gloves, dark circles underneath young eyelids. Roy went forward with his own exhaust visible.

He stood face to face with the Fullmetal Alchemist. He removed the white gloves that burned away the world from his own hands and placed them in his coat. Now he dared to touch Edward's face, to caress it with all his being. The boy released a shaky breath and leaned into Roy's chest. So he held him even closer, arms wrapped around small shoulders.

The flowers open and closed their petals.

The Colonel needed this moment. He'd lose his mind if he saw Edward be bit down on by another homunculus. The scare of that moment finally crept out of him, making him hug Edward even more. What would he do if he ever lost him? It was a risk that grew by the hour.

Despite the turn of events Roy admired the boy's strength. Edward had held himself at bay, a stomach racking hunger attempting to persuade him to attack, yet he had kept it together. _He_ had requested that he'd be injected with the sedative.

 _Ghoul._ The new word was quick to settle on Roy's tongue. It was vocabulary he was willing to live with. If he had gone this long without knowing then it didn't make his feelings towards Edward change. Fullmetal had kept it a secret from the day they met.

He let go and gently pressed Edward away. He wasn't sure how long the frustration had been there until he yelled, "Why didn't you turn to me sooner? You know I'm the one you can rely on no matter what. I'm here to protect you, Ed. You should've came to me first thing you needed me."

The short blond began to gain a sudden interest in scratching his head. "Oi, Bastard don't scream at me."

Roy gave a tender smile. "You don't have to try to do things alone."

"Yeah, yeah," Edward mumbled back. Underneath the fake annoyance lay a smile of his own. He then crossed his arms and said, "I gather that you know what happened while I was with Iscariot."

The Flame Alchemist clenched his jaw. There was anger boiling dangerously inside of him. He wanted to know exactly what his subordinate had been put through, what those people did that birthed agony upon the person he most cared about.

The flowers rustled and stretched their curly petals.

"I thought of you everyday I was in that hell. It got me through every bit of it."

The older man opened his mouth but no words came out. To be the subject of this person's every thought was a gift, especially when he had been caught in hell.

"It's done and over. I'm here now, with you. So don't go do anything stupid. Don't turn senile on me, old man."

The Fullmetal Alchemist stood up as tall as he could, pulled down on the man's neck a bit, and lay down a soft kiss on his lips.

Around the flowers turned a wicked shade of crimson.

* * *

It had been forever since Edward felt such serenity. It easily wriggled out of his grasp when reality tapped him on the shoulder and demanded his action. He had no way of knowing how he would stop the madness of a thousand men.

After everything, Roy only concerned himself with his safety. Edward couldn't ask for anything else from the man. He couldn't rationalize the emotions inside of him at knowing that this man didn't care he was half monster. Maybe in those onyx eyes Edward wasn't a monster at all. The Colonel wasn't treating any less for the rape, the human transmutation, or for the lurking insanity. That's it. Roy Mustang must be insane. Edward wouldn't have it any other way.

Edward wasn't sure what this world of his was. Frankly, he didn't mind discovering its secrets. He didn't care about right and wrong. He didn't even mind the physical pain anymore. Creatures could roam forever trying to find what made everything tick. They could continue on their journey to conquer time- to conquer god. All they wanted was power, wealth, some sort of contentment and peace that was never really pure in its existence. As long as he had Roy by his side then life was a life he could live.

When his lips parted from Roy's, someone barged into his room. He immediately stepped back while the Colonel put his hands on his coat pockets. The Lt. paused for only a fragment of a second, probably deciding she had walked into an important conversation, and saluted her superior, "Sir, we have detected Amestris soldiers scouting the area. It looks like they've also brought boats and plan to get onto the island."

"That can't be right," Edward exclaimed. "The mansion shouldn't be visible to anyone from the outside."

"Yes, Miss Seras has explained the barriers that have been placed but they're definitely planning on heading this way."

This had never happened before. Edward had been brought to this mansion after his Retribution and he had placed the barriers in order to keep the military from snooping into his business with his Master. One of the barriers sealed all of his magic and energy inside so someone couldn't track him down that way. To the world this place should have remained non-existent, and he should be off the maps along with anyone inside.

He rushed out to the main balcony along with Roy and Hawkeye to find everyone there as well, including Seras. He hoped that no one knew the truth behind her, but the way Alphonse was staring at her in wonder he thought maybe someone did already know. He admitted she was someone he had temporarily forgotten, but then again Edward had wiped out parts of his memory when he and Roy had tried hiding their relationship, which might've explained why he would forget.

He walked onto the edge of the balcony and indeed he saw boats making their way towards them.

"Master, does anyone else know about this location?" he asked.

"No one should know. Iscariot thinks I work solely in Central, not out here in the wilderness, but anyone passing by before you concealed the mansion could have seen it."

"So someone how's been on our tail for a while then."

That meant it had to be someone that intended on using him, like the homunculus. They would've been watching him for a long time though, probably since he first joined the military. Maybe... No, what would another witch be doing with the military? They would be the only group of people with the skills to find this place. Edward couldn't pin point his enemy from here. If he could just feel the energies of those soldiers he could scout out the person leading them here.

"I can't find who's leading them unless I go outside the borders," he informed. "I'm heading out."

And with that, he jumped off the balcony and made his way down the enormous building, holding on to the whatever foothold there was with ease. Once at the bottom he sprinted out to the trees. He wasn't even halfway to the shore when he exited the barriers and felt the energies. There must be at least 50 men...

And one witch.

Edward was excited.

A man who would betray their brethren is one he wanted to meet. The Fullmetal Alchemist would not hate that person for breaking their loyalty to the coven, nor did he care that they would side with the military to kill their own blood. Either way, it wasn't like the blond fit in any category.

He only cared that this witch had chosen Edward Elric as their target.

The hell with orders, tonight he would make one more blood crest upon the land.

* * *

"Are you all set? I'd hate for our plan to go to waste."

A short haired female fingered the stones on her necklace, a total of four, as she stepped into a boat. "Envy, your Father's plan can't possibly fail, one way or the other. As long as I get in close range of him it'll work."

"I wish I could watch that runt kill his own blood," the homunculus Envy whined. "Oh, how will his face change expression when he sees our little pets!"

The female continued to touch the red stone, and she willed them to send their infection onto her. Seeing them glow, Envy scolded, "Oi, watch how much of those stones you use. Father only gave you part of _four_ deadly sins. You can't allow them to run out before business is done."

The witch reluctantly stopped feeding of the stone's energy. It tempted her. "Where will you go?" she asked.

"Back to Central where that short bastard won't sense me."

A few seconds of bright light and the homunculus ran off on the legs of a canine.

* * *

"Brother, wait!" the suit of armor called out from the balcony.

Hughes watched the red-eyed woman take a step forward only to be stopped by a lanky arm of Sir Integra.

"Let him. He's going up against someone that's out of our league," she said.

"Who?" Roy asked.

"A witch. That's the only type of person who would be able to snuff out our location." Hughes was surprised that for the first time the woman responded without her normal icy loathing. The ease in her movements around him told Hughes that she regarded Roy as a comrade, no longer a potential enemy. Hughes wondered if Sir Integra had fallen for his friend's charming attitude after all. No, they just came to a sort of agreement. What agreement? One that involved Edward, he guessed.

"I can tell that Edward's quiet skilled in magic like he is in alchemy. If he's going to fight another witch then he's going full on out, right? How come he didn't use his power before?" Hughes dared to voice the question that he was sure had occurred to the others. He didn't want to insinuate that the boy was being an idiot. There was genuine curiosities he had. "Roy, didn't you mention you knew about his magic since he joined the military?"

Like always, the Colonel was smooth with his words. Always speaking for the little alchemist when he was absent. "I've only seen him use it a couple of times and not at a large scale. It's always been done discreetly too. He tend to resort to alchemy, even when on a tough mission."

"The boy does a good job at hiding his identity," the woman pitched in. "He won't use his magic unless it's a very severe emergency or if he's within protective boundaries like this building."

Hughes wasn't satisfied with that. "But why hide when he's surrounded by non-wiccans the majority of the time?"

"Because of instances like this one." The woman's eyes froze, trying their best to intimidating him into shutting the hell up. "Letting his power slip for a moment can cause any witch to follow."

"I thought witches considered the government as an enemy because of the common violence between the two," Havoc said. He must know what Hughes was getting onto. There was still a lot that they weren't being told. "Why would a witch rat out their own kin?"

Not even Roy seemed to have an answer to this because he raised his eyebrows in perplexity.

"Has there been a recent divide among the covens?" Everyone directed their attention to the tall armor. "It's been a few months since I had communication with any witches but the last time I was among them things were... unsettling."

The white mane of hair was blown by the night breeze. Sir Integra's voice came out a tired croak. "The witches have decided to come after your brother, alike the military and Iscariot. The issue is that none of them intend on providing refugee. They are after what your father started."

Hughes knew this woman had been acting on her accord since the beginning with the motive to protect Edward. What he hadn't known was the size of their adversary. The Fullmetal Alchemist was practically being hunted down by three different armies, masses of crazed lunatics seeking the end of the legend a golden boy had become. Maes couldn't believe that the entire world was being directed by a single being. Perhaps Van Hoheimheim did see some possibility in his son...

It had taken time for the pieces to connect inside Hughes's head. Xerxes, the empire that disappeared in a single night; Van Hoheimheim; the taboo of human transmutation the Elric brothers broke- they were all part of a single plan.

He was so close to some horrible realization when the first burst of bullets rang from a distance. They were abruptly silenced in the span of only a few seconds.

"Colonel, I'm not sure it's wise to allow Edward to fight the military so freely like this," Hawkeye advised.

Hughes cleared his throat. "Aren't we forgetting something else?"

And frankly, they had forgotten that they had wrapped up a half melted homunculus in wire and brought it with them. By now that thing must have regenerated completely only to remain constricted among the wire by him own fat.

"Forget that homunculus. When he appeared in Central he said he was out looking for the pipsqueak and out to kill the Colonel and I," Sir Integra waved her hand dismissively. She then pointed at Havoc, Hawkeye, Roy, and Hughes. "You can't return to your old positions unless you wish to be executed at the bottom of a dungeon. As for Edward, it's guaranteed they'll keep him alive until the right time."

With that, they all followed her lead. Their next plan: leave this mansion. One by one the group filled out the balcony. Roy looked out one more time at the soldiers now disembarking on the shore of the small island. He had allowed the old nervousness to overwhelm him again, going further down his pedestal of power. Hughes saw his lips form words for someone now far away but the sound was lost in the wind.

* * *

It had dawned on Roy that he could no longer strive to become the man of his childish dreams anymore. Yes, he had been naive to think he could possibly turn this country around. The corruption was beyond repair, and he suspected that something far worse would be broken. Now his sole purpose was to keep the people he cared about alive. There was no telling where the next twist would be in this path he roamed.

He wondered how Edward dealt with his own path. No, for the blond it must be an endless terrain of broken bones where the sun never shone through the thick hazy fog. Nothing was set in stone for the teen so he moved in whatever direction, to whatever was next- good or bad.

The idiot had gone out on his own again. Did he ever listen to what Roy told him? Hopefully that automail arm would hold out after so many battles. Fighting the enemy with one arm was never easy.

Fighting any of them wasn't easy.

They were all barely out the main doors when a figure pounced forward. The Colonel couldn't even think about posing his fingers in a snap, because the Lt beat him to the save. Hawkeye swept him off his feet and as he fell backwards he could see the figure come into sight by the light of the moon, a sight he couldn't comprehend. The creatures's shadow fell upon him as his body passed overhead. Roy's eyes adjusted to the momentary darkness, and he saw the glint of a single black and red eye.

This was a ghoul.

With an embarrassed _woof_ the Colonel landed on his back. Hawkeye shot at the ghoul but it darted around much too quick. "Shit," he heard her swear.

Out of thin air, the red-eyed blond withdrew her own weapon. Roy saw the way light reflected on her palms with a short glow and suddenly there was a gun in her hands. It wasn't a model he was familiar with. The gun had strange runes engraved onto its long barrel. Taking a breath the blond pointed her gun and shot.

The bullet puncture right though the ghoul's head, exploding within the skull and scattering every piece of brain onto the stone steps of the mansion.

"What the fuck was that!" Havoc yelled.

Everyone stared at Seras while Roy got to his feet and walked over to the body. Blue raggedy uniform- a single hungry eye never to see another meal. This was definitely a soldier who'd become the victim of something wicked. Hughes came over to share the cruel view.

"Another human experiment. That's a ghoul alright."

"Impossible," Sir Integra gasped. "Edward is the only one."

Roy saw Alphonse tilt his head to the ground. "What about Seras?" he whispered.

That single whisper echoed softly inside the armor. All heads were raised in anticipation of an answer.

"What about Seras?" the Colonel slowly repeated. What did this servant of Integra have to do with...

"Are you also a-" He couldn't finish his question.

A twinge gripped his chest. Roy had thought that the burden of the beast only fell on the Fullmetal Alchemist, someone strong, someone loyal who would live near starvation for the sake of preserving them all from the horrors of a massacre. For others to bare the same violent hunger and power was dangerous. For the military to sacrifice the humanity of its men was a shame. At the same time he wished that Edward could experience normality, that he didn't have to be the one that carried so much on his shoulders, that others could take it on for him

"You meant to hide that your servant is a ghoul" Hawkeye barked out at Integra. "There's obviously more than one of them!"

If that woman and this soldier were really ghouls, then she'd just killed one of her own. Roy wondered what it would mean for Edward to do the same. Didn't they share the same burden and therefore bound to stand together. But people killed people so...

This soldier was the consequence of a forbidden form of alchemy, Roy told himself. That's what it had to be.

He looked at the woman. Her name was Seras, if he heard right before. She didn't take insult at the Lts words. Simply, she stood guard with her magical weapon. She calmly regarded the agitated group, "Edward attempted to save my life once and by doing so he turned me into a ghoul. My body isn't purely ghoul though. I do not have a kagugne like he does."

"Are you referring to those tendrils?" Havoc asked.

His answer came when two more soldiers appeared. One crouched on a thick tree branch and the other dangled beside him with the use of his kagugne. Roy noted that it was different from Edward's. This kagugne originated from shoulder and wrapped around the length of the arm. Their eyes... They were all the same.

The Flame Alchemist flexed his fingers within the soft fabric of his ignition gloves. Don't take an ounce of pity on them, he told himself. These ghouls will die if they attacked, that's it. They aren't Edward...even with those identical eyes, they were not the same. Because Edward couldn't be like them, never would be- despite the fact that Edward had become a mass murderer as a mere child because of his hunger. But was it really any of their fault that they ended up this way?

"Lord Integra, go on ahead. I'll stop them from this point," Seras said. "Edward must already be busy with the witch that led these ghouls here."

Faithful to her strength, the group continued on. The occasional gunshots infiltrated the sound of their footsteps on grass.

"We have to get away from here as fast as we can," Integra said.

"What about Edward and Seras?" Roy didn't want to leave the boy on his own again.

The woman fussed with left cuff of her jacket until a silver gauntlet was expose. The metal was dotted with small clear crystals.

"This," she displayed it, "is what's restricting Edward's magic. Inside special barriers this has no affect but we are both well outside of them now. If he decides to request that a bond be broken, I will oblige to what I deem fit." Pulling her sleeve down, Integra added, "There's no way of hiding that boy from anyone if we allow him to run on full power."

Breathe, Roy reminded himself. Breathe. This woman had something with Edward that he did not.

The sleeve did no make it all the way down when a few crystals began to glow a ghostly white. "Ah, there it is," the woman said. Just as she was placing her other hand above the shining crystals and spoke words of release, the entire gauntlet turned an inky black that warped like a fire of shadow. Half the crystals shattered.

They could sense the darkness growing.


	19. Chapter 19

The blond walked into a large circle of land that was bare of life. It was the only part of this tiny island that was not obscured by the tall fluffy trees and untouched by vines. The moonlight was brightest here. He saw it shine on his newest opponent.

The witch was a female with a burgundy dress and short brown hair. Her eyes were a dirty grey, no where near the nice shade of a stormy sky. From the moment Edward saw her smug face he detested it.

Her voice wreaked even more, "Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. My, you are just how I imagined."

Edward put on his best scowl. He's just as she imagined, huh?

With almost no effort he concentrated on the witches's body, rapidly etching a psychokinetic force through her very muscles. A single flick of his wrist sent her body flying through the air. Although it was funny to hear the crack of her spine as she smashed against a tree Edward couldn't conceive a smirk. This wasn't a fragment of what he was capable of. This witch wasn't living to his expectations.

"You're such a brute," the witch growled.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Edward felt something heading right toward's him. Whipping his head to one side he felt a burning on his cheekbone. A thin line of red appeared. He looked at the witch grinning at him and then to the trees behind him. He caught the sight of a large thorn impaled into the wood. It slowly disintegrated to black dust.

She wasn't all bark with no bite then.

Dozens of thorns materialized around the witch. They followed the movement of her hands, whirling in the air. She flicked her own wrist. The thorns went forward.

There was no time to transmutate a wall. Edward quickly brought energy into his hands and willed a shield to form in front of him. The thorns crumbled apart as they touched the shinning light that protected him.

The grin on that smug face kept growing.

"Think I can't match you?" the witch teased.

They went on for a while like that. She summoned stone, ice, metal but Edward either dodged or used his shield. The chase must've began to bore her though because she backed up into a shadow and disappeared. Edward waited patiently.

The ground rose from underneath his feet and wrapped around his arms and legs along with growing vines. He tugged at his constraints which were decently strong. From his own shadow he saw the witch crawl out, the shadow momentarily turning to black mud.

"I heard that among wiccans you're secretly referred to the god of destruction," she said as she resurfaced. "In the military you're even more infamous for your alchemy. If the stories are true, the tales of golden star reaping the blood of man, then show me Edward Elric. Show me that I wasn't wrong to challenge you."

His laughter wrung wildly. He wanted to double over at her demand. He laughed and laughed- not even _he_ knew the end of his power. Her desire was brilliant! That's what everyone came for.

He noticed a red glow from the witches neck but he didn't care. Edward could only remember Van Hoheimheim. The curse that fool set upon him was just fucking brilliant.

 _"Why won't you die," Hoheimheim's voice was muffled by the water inside Edward's ears. "Die... Die... Die!"_

 _The young boy wasn't allowed to die. He couldn't even choose how his own death would occur, no one could. His lungs kept taking in the water but he did not die. He blacked out after a few minutes only to re-awake under the water again, his father's hands around his throat._

 _He counted how many times he blacked out. He must've drowned fifty-three times the day of his fourth birthday._

The witch was provoked by his wicked amusement. "What the hell is so funny!" she yelled at him. Her previously coolness heated into a boiling pot of hatred. A sudden yelp escaped her as the glow at her neck intensified. Blinded by the light she panicked and clawed at it. A necklace fell to the ground, its four stones shinning brighter along with Edward's fit of laughter.

Realizing her pathetic actions, the female gritted her teeth. She let out a loud whistle. A minute later figures ran out of the darkness of the trees.

 _"He's the one you want right?"_

 _"Yes, he is," Hoheimheim responded._

 _Edward had been a fool to trust anyone. He had asked for help from a man and his wife only to end up being tied up and dragged back to his "home"._

 _"Give us the reward money then," the man hastily spoke. His wife stood beside him, staring down at Edward. He fought the chains that she had wrapped around his small body. The rusty metal had been harsh on her smooth uncalloused hands. "S-st-stay still damn it!" she had stuttered. Why was she so nervous for? Why was she shaking? She had decided to deceive and capture him for a few hundred cenz. Edward wanted to scream at her and her husband. Weak and pitiful they were for not getting a job done right. They couldn't possibly be afraid of their own cruelty. What kind of idiots were they?_

"The sins inside the stone must be affecting him," the witch muttered to herself. "I-I did it." She began to chant like a child, "I did it. I did it. I did it..." Somehow it sounded like she wasn't convincing herself of her success.

 _"Lynch him!"_

 _The crowd wouldn't stop shouting. Their words were smothered by a vengeance that their god had gifted them with._

 _"I say we burn him alive!" another voice advised. "Let the devil have a taste of his own!"_

 _Whatever direction the golden boy ran to led him into another mob. The town chased a bloodied child, red smeared from old wounds that his parents once said he rightfully deserved._

 _"If Hoheimheim can't take care of him then we will!"_

 _Run, thought Edward. Run. But which way?! The buildings in this town were all the same- their windows barricaded by iron bars to keep out the demons when they sleep, the crosses decorating the front door. They awaited for a saint that never came._

 _"Hey, you." Edward veered around searching for the person that called him. "Pst, this way. C'mon, before they get you."_

 _Finally he found a teenage girl peeking around a corner. She waved her hand at him. The mob was getting closer. He had no choice._

 _Edward ran after her. His legs were quivering with each step. The large gashes on his back burned when the wind hit them. The bandages on the stump that used to be his right arm dangled dangerously from his body. He still wasn't very good at balancing without one arm or a makeshift crutches Alphonse had made him, causing him to fall time and time again. His shoes were gone, his clothes torn._

 _"C'mon keep up or they'll get you," the girl panted. Rounding another corner they were now at an alley. The light of hand held torches and the sound of hateful men were gone as they ran further on the cobblestone. One more turn and the girl stopped. She bent over breathing just as heavily as Edward._

 _"O-okay. I think we're good," the girl wheezed. "You can run pretty good, you know." Offering a wary smile she approached Edward. She was quite tall compared to Edward, standing so high that the young blond had to bent his neck all the way to acknowledge her face. He leaned heavily on his crutches._

 _"Oh, you're lace's come undone. I'll tie it," she said._

 _His eyes followed her mouth as she knelt down to his feet. The ground was cold against his bare skin._

 _He didn't have any shoes. What-_

 _The blade slicing across his left achilles heel gave him the cruel reminder._

 _Falling to the stone floor he writhed in pain. He couldn't get back on his his only foot with muscles torn apart. His scream was met by the cheer of a mob who gladly heard his agony._

 _"Those fuckers have their heads all up in their ass if they can't kill one fucking kid," the girl snarled. She was even taller now that Edward lay on the ground. "I'll show your lifeless corpse to them and they'll make me their savior for sure. You must be seven years old. How hard could it fucking be? You're a one arm cripple."_

 _He now saw the dirt that covered her skin from head to toe. Feet were also naked, barely covered by the old worn dress. Her hair must've been plagued by lice. The cleanest thing about her was her glistening knife threatening to taint her even more with his blood._

 _Edward let go of another scream when the blade went through his left arm. The girl stomped his face into the ground, the stones pressing into his skin. Both arms and legs were useless. He could hear more people approaching._

 _"Shit, they're already coming. I need you to die_ now _."_

 _Slowly his visioned blurred. Something inside him bloomed to its fullest._

 _Hate._

 _He detested creatures who formed lines to have their heads nestled with grime. In time they drowned in the madness, desperately hunting, yearning for some definite end-an end to Edward Elric. None of them understood the evil they were, none of them knew why they were here except for this moment. That alone was what made them hurt yet their hate didn't need a ration of reason. Because actions like these could never be rationalized._

 _These creatures were nothing._

 _"Is..is that all you got?" he spat._

 _"You little-" The girl's last insult never left her tongue. A fiery adrenaline filled the boy's veins, his previous wounds healing. The familiar tingling at his spine gave way to his kagugne. In one fierce jab, a tendril pierced her chest._

 _A collective gasp infuriated Edward further. The towns people squeezed between the building walls, entering the alley. Behind him there was a dead end._

 _"He's taken one of our daughters! Kill him!"_

 _"What kind of beast is he?"_

 _"God, strike him down."_

 _He dared them to. He dared them to try._

 _The mob surged forward in waves of despair that brought themselves down._

 _The golden boy set himself on both knees. He closed his eyes. He could feel the subliminal need to be one with the voice inside and make everything all right._

 _A sphere of black grew from between his hands. He let go of his hatred, let it expand in a sphere of power. Exploding, expanding larger and larger. He smiled as he heard screams fade._

 _Edward Elric opened his eyes. For miles around there was nothing but a new wasteland of gray ash._

"I need to get off this damn forsaken island," the witch talked to herself. "I need to go... need to go..."

The Fullmetal Alchemist submerged his mind into the sound of silence. He called on for his powers, he needed to find release. He would show them...he would show them all.

Within his mind he heard his master speak.

He was free.

* * *

She'd done it. Yes, she must return back to Envy so she may be rightfully rewarded.

"Finish him off," ordered the witch as she walked away. The soldiers circled closer to the blond alchemist. Helplessly tied up his laughter had died some time ago. She saw the men's hungry eyes turn that disgusting black color, the protruding veins making a viscous mess of their handsome faces. She thought about how jealous the other ghouls would be that they had to feast on the flesh of some church woman and a colonel rather than the Fullmetal Alchemist. There wouldn't be much meat anyway, when half the boy's body was metal scrap.

The witch's heart suddenly skipped a beat. She felt the air and the ground vibrate against her slender body. Her very bones were chilled by the dark essence that began crawling inside of her...

No, the sins should be taking over him. He shouldn't be able to think one coherent thought with the energy of the Stone's infecting him. There was no way.

Her feet stopped moving and they forcefully turned her around. She couldn't control her body. Someone else was taking control. That person opened her eyes wide to what was coming her way.

The boy still remained within his constraints, back hunched and head down, but the witch knew she should run.

The first ghoul sprinted forward. The creature's hand reached out to wrench the blond head. He was the first to make the mistake.

The earth that held Edward Elric burst into dust as his body whirled around and his leg landed a deadly kick. The witch breathed harder and faster. The ghoul's head rolled on the ground, stopped right in front of her feet. Still, she could not will her body to move.

The headless ghoul crumbled to the ground. The others looked on with uncertainty. Then they realized they had sealed their fate.

The witch could sense the haunting aura of the boy, warping around him like the fires of hell. The blackness wanted to consume her, she knew it.

"No..."

She heard the tearing of skin and the breaking of bones.

"No..."

She saw him give men what they had given him first.

"No..."

She felt his hands claw her insides. Teeth grinned the meat blissfully.

"no..."

She tasted her own blood gurgling out her throat as Edward Elric devoured her.

* * *

"I don't understand," Integra muttered, "This has never happened before."

Alphonse watched her eyes grow wider and wider, an unfathomable horror shocking the fibers of her being.

"Sir Integra, how much power did you give him?" he chocked out. "How much did you give him?" he demanded again. The desperation in his voice was noticed by the others. "Why did the crystals turn black?"

"Alphonse-kun, please calm down," said Hawkeye. She strapped her gun and placed a hand on his arm.

He didn't know why he was panicking. He didn't even understand witchcraft very well. What should he be worried about?

But he felt that they were all on the brink of a breakdown. He knew that they felt a blood-curling presence not far from them.

Alphonse panicked because he knew it was Edward.

The armor remembered his mother's own fear when Edward started using his magic more and more frequently. The older he grew the more chaotic his energies became. Alphonse had seen enough pits be filled with the bodies of those who fell victim to his brother's wrath. He couldn't allow another bloodbath.

"INTEGRA!" The cry echoed joylessly from tree to tree. The moonlight was slowly giving out while the sun rose on the far horizon.

"Seras," her lord replied.

The young immortal dashed towards them. Her uniform was ripped at placed but there were no visible wounds. No gun rested in her hand.

"The bonds," she started.

The blue-eyed woman raised her arm to show the gauntlet. More crystals had cracked and the silver was scratched.

"Lord, why would you allow-"

"I didn't consent to this," the woman solemnly spoke. "Edward called the shots on this one."

"I thought you said that only you could decide how much magic Edward was allowed to use," said Roy.

"That's how it was suppose to be," Integra insisted. "For his need to overwhelm the strength of this item... That witch must've done something to him."

"If that's true we need to find him," Alphonse told her.

"Alphonse," Hawkeye lightly reminded him. The hand that rested on his arm was a ghost of his mother's.

"Wait, Seras did you actually see him?" Hughes questioned.

"A bunch of ghouls ran right past me. He seemed to be chasing them. His power... it was too much. Those soldiers must've sensed it too," she looked behind her back. "They're scattered all over-" Rustling beyond the trees sent everyone, except Al, for their weapons. Seras summoned her enchanted weapon and the others upholstered their pistols. Like startled dogs their ears perked at the slightest sound.

Not long after did a pack of ghouls bypassed them as they leaped from branch to branch overhead. Their fear made their footing clumsy. Shoving each other they thought only of saving themselves. One unfortunate ghoul stepped on weak wood, setting him tumbling down from above along with a few of his comrades.

The group immediately poised their guns at the creatures but one crawled on all fours towards them.

"Get any closer and we'll shoot," Seras warned.

"Please, you have to destroy it. Take it, please," the man begged. His blue uniform was filthy with dust, scorched with blood. "Please!" With one hand he chucked something at them. Landing at Integra's feet the ghoul continued to beg.

On a string of silver were four red stones.

"Destroy it," another ghoul whimpered.

But his last desire was not met while he lived.

Alphonse recognized the spark of alchemy that engulfed the ground around the ghoul's feet. A dozen spikes shot towards his body from all directions. Not one missed their target. The stone spikes lifted the body off the ground.

"No, I don't want to die," he coughed weakly. Both humans and ghouls backed away from the dangling body. Such a macabre view it was; a soldier turned monster in a laboratory, now delivered a death where he will be hung up by the spikes of earth. Within minutes he would bleed out. His blood would make their mark on the soil below.

Not even those last minutes did the soldier have the chance to see out. From behind metal fingers appeared, slowly dug their way into the skin of the neck... the tissue... one powerful yank from that hand snapped the head right off.

Edward Elric walked out from the shadows and into the rays of the new day, tossing the head of the man he just killed like trash. Alphonse could not see his eyes underneath the windswept hair. He only saw the demonic smile spread onto his brother's lips. Hands, neck, pants, boots- soaked by red.

This wasn't the brother he knew. He couldn't be. The Edward he knew had only ever witnessed his own blood being spilled. The child that tried time and time again to run away from that reality. He ran and ran, away from mom and dad, away from who he was. Running to find a place in this world that would relent its pain.

 _"Trisha, my dear I've done it! The Gate has been opened." "Mom, he's going to die!" the armor screeched. He showed her son's mutilated body, arm and leg stolen by the hands of god. "Help him." Her gray eyes blinked stupidly. She did not understand that this new metal shell was her youngest son. She simply held onto her husband's strong arm, staring. "I did it dear." Hoheimheim kissed her. Walking out the purgatory of the basement, they left their only two children helpless._

"Get away from me," a ghoul shouted. Soon, his mandible rested on the ground beside unblinking eyes.

"We have to go."

"Everyone run!"

Their feet matched the speed of a gazelle but one person dared to stay behind.

 _Alphonse carried the dish of water down the stairs. Brother needed to have his wound cleaned out again. Hopefully it wouldn't burn like last time. Al couldn't know what water felt like on exposed pink flesh because he did not feel in this armor._

 _Opening the door, he dropped porcelain bowl. Startled, his mother dropped the thick needle in her hands._

 _She groped for an explanation for her insanity,"His body isn't healing- not like it usually does. He needed me to help him. I-I'm going to get him on his feet again." Trisha Elric picked up her needle and continued sowing._

 _"Mom...what have you done?"_

 _"Don't worry Al, honey I'm fixing him."_

 _Within those dark basement walls lay Edward on a cot barely held up by weak legs. His panting grew louder as the needle pierced his skin and the thick thread was pulled through by his mother's delicate hands. She hummed a soothing tune that did nothing to stop the shaking of Al's armor._

 _When he collected enough courage to take a step forward he finally saw the limbless corpse that had been shoved under the cot._

 _"Yes, I finished. He should be fixed..." Trisha stood up and clapped her hands in a small gesture of victory. "I have to hide the rest."_

 _From underneath the cot she dragged out a young boy's body. The skin had gone pale and rigid. The right arm and left leg had been cut off. A stench had begun to condense in the tiny room._

 _Using all her might the mother hauled the poor meat out the basement. Her excitement got the best of her though. She dropped her baggage halfway up the staircase. Rushing back to the cot, Edward stirred from his unconsciousness._

 _His golden eyes looked directly at the corpse ahead. Then they traced the path back to his own body. He had a new arm and leg. Neither belonged to him. When his body shifted both limbs hung limply by the threads that connected them to his real body._

 _"YOU BITCH!" Edward took hold of the needle his mother thought was her tool of goodness. With the only leg that actually moved he lunged at her. Thrusting the needle deep into her eye, the eyes that had always regarded him with conflicted love._

 _Trisha screamed for the needle in her skull while her son screamed for the nightmare to end._

Edward had turned the tables on all of them. He no longer feared the world. The world feared him now.

The one who dared stay behind was Integra.

It wasn't so much that she dared but she couldn't do anything else. Her mind was petrified by the actions of the child she had sworn to keep alive.

Alphonse and Seras were the first to stop their run. "What are you doing?" they shouted back at her. Like snails they retraced their steps.

If that woman didn't run right now Edward would surely take her life. They couldn't allow that to happen. That woman had ended his Retribution. She had taken responsibility for him. She hadn't coward at his immense power. Instead, she had covered him with the wings of a guardian angel. Alphonse somehow knew that that was the honest truth. He didn't need to know the details of her efforts.

This woman had showed more love than their mother ever did.

"Edward!"

The younger brother spoke too late. The golden boy ran full speed. When he was face to face with his master, he shoved both hands onto her stomach. Horrible streaks of light shone and an explosion rocked the air.

Sir Integra Hellsing fell to the floor, her body blown into two separate pieces, her death instant.

Even if they sewn together every scrap of flesh that had splattered onto the ground none of them could fix her.


	20. Chapter 20

Everyone was deafened by the incoherent wailing of the red-eyed servant.

Roy had heard that sound many times. In Ishval children cried for their mothers in fits of grief like their mothers did for them. They had made sounds of animals when he had burned them alive.

But this wasn't havoc brought on by the snapping of fingers that knew nothing about their victim. Here, this was a savior turned victim, and the saved had become the killer.

Seras cried and cried for her lord. There was no hope of bringing her back.

"You can't- you just can't!" In a growing fury she threw herself beside the bleeding meat. Her hands cupped the dirt and guts. There was no way that any of what was left of Sir Integra Hellsing held any life.

Edward loomed over the poor crying woman, his eyes vacant of any sympathy. They no longer shined their magnificent gold. They weren't enjoying this moment or grieving it. Then, Roy felt the atmosphere change. The previous insanity that had contaminated the entire island slowly retreated. Retreated. Retreated. The Colonel squeezed his eyes shut. Reopening them he saw a sphere of darkness surrounding them but shrinking. Right before he could blink again, Roy saw it turn so small, so innocent and disappear.

No one else looked around like he did. His team's eyes were petrified on the dead woman. Alphonse had frozen midway between the two groups unsure of what he could do now. This was like the car accident...Roy had been able to be in someone's else's place for a few moments. He had been in Edward's place.

The warmth of the sun finally pounded it's way into his clothes and the soft wind made the rustling of thousands of leaves notable.

Roy opened his mouth to only hear his own ragged breathing. His hands couldn't stop shaking. Gazing over the dead he wondered if Edward really had done this.

Concentrating, in his mind he spoke, _What have you done, Edward?_

There was no mental response from the boy but a numb sort of sadness developing. Roy started walking to him. No one stopped him.

A red light caught his eye. The necklace of red stones was still near the dead woman and was now coated with her blood. The glow of the stones gave out and the substance crumbled, disappeared in the wind. A second after the gauntlet on Integra's arm completely shattered.

The Colonel finished covering the distance in time to catch the boy as he fell forward. Gently he sat down on the ground. Cradling the tiny body close, Roy saw the lifelessness in the eyes he so adored. Edward's eyelids occasionally gave a lazy blink. Other than that there was nothing.

The older man's body twitched. He was afraid to hold the boy in his arms. After what he had seen him do...

The Fullmetal Alchemist had mindlessly killed his own while he had a smile plastered on his face. Could he turn on Roy the same way?

With death finally held at bay, Roy's team gathered the guts to confront a broken down Seras and a very shocked Alphonse.

"No! She can't just die!" screeched the blond woman. The others didn't dare plea with her. They simply pulled her away from the massacre.

"Fullmetal," Roy whispered. He pushed away the loose strands of hair from Edward's face. No response. "Why did you do it?" he asked. _Why_ did he? What could he have possibly gotten out of that woman's death? Roy truly pitied her death, for it was all in vain. Sir Integra had had the honest intention of keeping Edward from the hands of Iscariot and the military. She had wordlessly accepted the forbidden love that existed between them. She hadn't even had the time to tell them the whole truth. Roy had to put his trust in Edward that he would tell him everything. The truth has been stalled for far too long. Roy had to take the initiative.

"Lieutenant, we should able to use one of the boats the soldiers used to get off this island?"

She turned to him expectantly while she once again patted the suit of armor. "Seeing how many soldiers were taken down I don't see why there wouldn't be enough for us."

Roy unconsciously hugged Edward closer to him. "Then let's get a move on. Seras," he waited for the grieving woman to respond. She barely lifted her eyes to him. Surprisingly she said, "I understand."

"Colonel, I can carry him," Alphonse said. He unbuckled from clips at the sides of his chest plate. He moved the metal aside to show his spacious interior. His voice was kind as he offered, "My body doesn't tire. It'll be faster this way."

The man gave a small smile. "Arigatou, Alphonse."

* * *

Sniffles and whimpers prevented Edward from drifting to a merciful sleep. Sadness rudely seeped inside him, rocking his fuzzy energies. His blood seemed to have been boiled only to be fall down again as an acid rain. Hadn't he been somewhere else just moments ago? Or had it been a while already? What what he been doing anyways...Again the sobbing echoed in his ears.

 _Snap._

A spontaneous light set his eyelids in a mix or orange and yellow spots. He didn't want to open his eyes. That snap was so familiar though. The snapping of gloved fingers.

An eternity later he saw a fire larger than ever before burning up to the morning sky. The island that they had left behind was being reduced to ashes. The trees screamed at him, screamed for his to recognize something.

He tried to pay attention but he felt his body being shifted. He could feel his arm make contact with cold wood. The sloshing of water was loud. Finally a warmth enveloped him when his body was shifted again. Oh, someone must be holding him.

The crying nagged at his conscious. In his mindlessness he asked, _Who's crying?_

 _The woman named Seras_ , a strong voice in his head replied.

 _Why won't she stop?_

 _Nothing to worry yourself with right now. Sleep._

Edward tried to look to the owner of the voice but he could only stare at the fire as they sailed away in their small boat.

 _Your fires have always been so beautiful, Roy._

He heard the older man sigh.

* * *

"She died?"

"I already told you, Lust. I saw the Fullmetal runt devour her."

"What if he had spotted you. You already risked the exposure of the rest of us homunculi once."

"Bagh! That time in the alley I didn't get to see one bite."

"That's not my point," the woman pouted her rich red lips.

"I didn't get to eat Mustang," whined the fat homunculus. He sat beside Lust, sniffling childishly for his lost dinner.

"You'll get another chance," Lust comforted him with a pat on his bald head. "Envy," she redirected her attention, her dark violet eyes ripping through her vulgar sibling just as her claws could. "We can't risk losing track of the Fullmetal Alchemist. He's no longer a candidate for the Gate. He's a confirmed sacrifice. Gluttony almost swallowed the kid whole and burned through most of his Stone because of the Flame Alchemist. Quit being so reckless."

"Stop your quarrel my children," a bored voice ordered. The three homunculi awaited his next orders. "Envy, your sister is right. We cannot risk for anyone else to obtain our sacrifice for they might also want to use the Gate. Wrath has not been successful at finding him, the Flame Alchemist or Greed. They are too far for his soldiers to pursue. That is why you three are in charge of them now."

Envy puffed indignantly, blowing his long spikes of hair. "Well those ghouls Wrath's scientist manufactured didn't help out our witch at all. They got ripped to shreds by the runt."

"Everything that occurred on Hellsing's island was all a test, my son. Wrath will find most use of his hybrids. Our sacrifice carries blood capable of many things. It would not be in our favor for Iscariot to learn how to make use of it. They spilled much of his blood during Retribution. On the other hand we do not have enough of it." The voice paused for mocking emphasis that was useless in the monotone it was spoken in. "At least you brought Gluttony back."

"Tch, what about the four Stone's you gave that idiot witch?"

"She did her job well. The sins did indeed affect our sacrifice. They were able to make him closer to reopening the Gate. That is what I needed to know."

"Yeah, well get someone who won't die so easily if you want to keep these tests going."

"Oh, she is not dead. You wouldn't think I would choose such a weakling, would you my son."

"No, Father."


End file.
